Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment his Department has made of the impact of the delay to single farm payments on the farm machinery business; and if he will make a statement. [84613]
Barry Gardiner: UK tractor registrations, a broad indicator of the strength of the domestic market for agricultural equipment, have increased marginally in the first half of 2006. However, individual businesses may, to varying effects, have been affected in the short term by the cash flow issues faced by farmers as a result of the timing of payments under the 2005 single payment scheme (SPS).
Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people were employed by his Department to carry out on-road inspections of transporters carrying vertebrate animals in each of the last five years. [86354]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Department does not hold the information requested. Roadside checks are arranged by local authorities, to check compliance with a range of animal health and welfare rules. The state veterinary service liaises with local authorities so that emergency veterinary cover can be made available if needed.
Mr. Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what funding the Government incorporates into its animal health strategy for the rescue and care of abandoned, wounded and homeless animals. [86871]
Mr. Bradshaw: [holding answer 20 July 2006]: While the Government applauds the fine work undertaken by animal welfare charities in rescuing and caring for abandoned, wounded and homeless animals, it does not use public money to directly fund such work. However, we do have policies in place to increase the value of charitable gifts by generous tax concessions.
Mr. Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department is taking to inform the public of their rights under the Arhus Convention. [85491]
Ian Pearson: The Government recognises that the Aarhus Convention is an important statement, at international level, of the rights of the public to be involved in decisions which have significant environmental effects. The UK’s ratification of the convention, in February 2005, demonstrates our commitment to the importance of these principles. A comprehensive guide can be found on the DEFRA website at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/internat/aarhus/index.htm
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures are in place to remove barriers to the market development of biomass energy crops; and what further measures are planned. [86116]
Ian Pearson: The Government provide support to help establish, develop supply chains, and create markets for biomass energy crops. The Government set up a Biomass Task Force in 2004 to identify the barriers to developing biomass energy and to recommend ways to overcome the problems.
Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many prosecutions have been brought by each local authority in England under section 3 of the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 since the Act came into force. [86149]
Mr. Bradshaw: Measures contained in section 3 of the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act, which concern exposing vehicles for sale on the road, commenced in June 2005.
Mr. Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations he has received regarding the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005. [87766]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Department had received a range of representations on the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act, in the form of letters, emails and parliamentary questions.
Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what research his Department has conducted into (a) carbon emissions from commercial kitchens and (b) means to reduce such emissions; [84943]
Ian Pearson: The information available on carbon emissions from commercial kitchens is currently very limited.
(1) The top 10 per cent. of equipment, currently on the market, in terms of energy efficiency.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will list in date order (a) Green and (b) White Papers produced by his Department since October 2005. [81295]
Barry Gardiner: The following Command (“Green” and “White”) Papers have been produced by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, since October 2005.
| Paper number | Title | Publication date |
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will list the Unnumbered Command Papers produced by his Department in each Session since 1976; by what means (a) hon. Members and (b) members of the public can (i) inspect and (ii) obtain copies; and if he will make a statement. [81298]
Barry Gardiner: Documents which are laid before Parliament as unnumbered Command Papers are generally restricted to explanatory notes to treaties, explanatory memorandum to statutory instruments and some Treasury minutes. All other documents are published in the Numbered Command Papers series.
A complete list of unnumbered Command Papers can only be produced at disproportionate cost.
Copies of all unnumbered Command Papers are made available via the Vote Office.
Dr. Desmond Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps the Environment Agency takes to ensure that its charging policy is fair and equitable across its user groups. [87032]
Ian Pearson: The Environment Agency complies with Her Majesty's Treasury's “Fees and Charges Guide”, applies the polluter (or beneficiary) should pay principle, attributes relevant costs to specific charging regimes, and recovers those costs through charges.
Chris
Huhne: To ask the
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which
environmental
directives have been agreed and published sinceMay 1997; and
what the date or expected date of transposition is of each.
[84060]
Ian Pearson: DEFRA was formed in June 2001. Between 8 June 2001 and 30 June 2006, 30 EU environmental directives, for which the Department has responsibility for implementation, were adopted. These are shown in the table as follows.
I am placing in the Library of the House a list which itemises the directives adopted together with:
(a) the EU deadline for transposition into domestic legislation.
(b) where, appropriate, the final or expected United Kingdom transposition date.
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether his Department (a) is committed to the achievement of environmental management to ISO 14001 standard and (b) has been externally certified as in compliance with that standard; and if he will make a statement. [81183]
Barry Gardiner: DEFRA is firmly committed to the achievement of environmental management systems ISO 14001 standard in its buildings. A programme of independent accreditation to that standard is under way. The priority is for our larger sites to achieve accreditation and at the end of June, a total of 27 sites (offices and laboratories), covering 78 per cent. of staff in the Department and its Executive Agencies, were accredited to ISO 14001. Three further sites covering eight per cent. of staff in the Department have Environmental Management Systems in place, which are yet to be independently certified to the standard.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 18 April 2006 to the hon. Member for Winchester (Mr. Oaten), Official Report, column 24W, on farm subsidies, whether the former Chief Executive of the Rural Payments Agency remains on paid leave of absence; when a decision on his future will be made; and if he will make a statement. [73215]
Barry Gardiner: As a priority, Defra appointed an interim Chief Executive of the RPA to lead the organisation through the next period, and work has already begun to strengthen the senior management team. The former CEO of the RPA is currently on paid leave and we are in the process of resolving his employment issues through the proper legal procedures in line with the Departments HR good practice.
Mr. Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he expects the Single Payment Scheme funds for the period between December 2005 and February 2006 to be paid. [85413]
Barry Gardiner: The EU regulatory payment window for 2005 Single Payment Scheme ran from 1 December 2005 to 30 June 2006. The Rural Payments Agency began to make payments to English farmers in February 2006 and by 30 June over £1.438 billion (94.9 per cent. of total estimated expenditure) had been disbursed. The remaining sums will be paid as soon as possible.
Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what share of the EU Fisheries Fund agreed on 19 June will be allocated to (a) the UK and (b) each other EU member state. [86469]
Mr. Bradshaw: The European Fisheries Fund, which will replace the current Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG) from 1 January 2007, will run for seven years with a total budget of €3.849 billion. We anticipate that the UK will be allocated about €122 million. However, the Council regulation has not completed its formal procedures so the figure is subject to confirmation. Therefore the Department does not yet hold specific information relating to other member states.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 4 May 2006, Official Report, columns 1729-30W, what report his Department has made to the European Commission on by-catch monitoring under the obligations of Council Regulation (EC) 812/2004. [87342]
Mr. Bradshaw: The UK Government’s report to the European Commission, on by-catch monitoring, is available on the Defra website at: http://www.defra. gov.uk/fish/sea/conserve/regulation.htm.
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the full updating of the National Flood and Coastal Defence database will be completed. [86366]
Ian Pearson: The National Flood and Coastal Defence database has been developed in a number of phases. The latest development means that it can now hold data on structures that help control coastal erosion as well as flood defences, and it is now live and available to staff in both the Environment Agency and the operating authorities. Further development will be planned to meet evolving needs.
Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what his Department's expenditure has been on flood defences in 2006-07; and if he will make a statement. [86075]
Ian Pearson: The Environment Agency (EA) are the principal operating authority with responsibility for flood risk management in England. Defra has provided £141 million to the EA in grant in aid in 2006-07 up to the end of July. This supports capital improvement projects, maintenance and operation of existing infrastructure, and associated activities such as flood warning, public awareness of flood risk and advising planning authorities with respect to development in areas at risk of flooding.
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment the Environment Agency has made of the flood defence systems in Robertsbridge, East Sussex; and if he will make a statement. [86887]
Ian Pearson: The Environment Agency’s current assessment of the Robertsbridge flood defence systems are that they are in very good condition and able to function in accordance with the design.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what genetically modified crops are licensed to be grown in the UK. [87519]
Ian Pearson: Only one type of genetically modified (GM) maize seed, Monsanto's MON 810, is currently approved and being made available for commercial cultivation in the European Union. MON 810 is not suitable for UK growing conditions.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations he has received from animal welfare organisations on the decision by the greyhound racing industry to pursue self-regulation; and if he will make a statement. [86535]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Department has received representations from a number of animal welfare organisations about regulating greyhound racing.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will reconsider the decision not to include proposals for statutory provision for greyhound racing in the Animal Welfare Bill. [87343]
Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps are being taken to promote the welfare of retired greyhounds. [87137]
Mr.
Bradshaw: The Animal Welfare Bill, currently before
Parliament, will introduce an offence of failing to provide for the
welfare needs of an animal. This will apply to owners and keepers of
all animals, including racing, and retired greyhounds. In addition, we
are considering making specific regulations under the
Animal Welfare Bill in relation to the welfare of racing greyhounds. We
consider that these regulations are better contained in secondary
legislation rather than on the face of the
Bill.
Mr. Wills: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many racing greyhounds were killed at the end of their working lives in each of the last five years. [87402]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Government do not hold such information.
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what compensation is available for Norfolk poultry farmers whose poultry has been culled as a consequence of the outbreak of the H7N3 virus. [68649]
Mr. Bradshaw [holding answer 8 May 2006]: Under the Animal Health Act 1981, compensation is payable for all healthy birds culled for disease control purposes; the amount is the value of the bird immediately before slaughter. This applies to all birds suffering from any strain of avian influenza, regardless of whether it is of high or low pathogenicity. We also provide compensation for eggs or other property that is destroyed.
Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will commit the Government to compliance with the ISO 14001 Environmental Management Standard. [85982]
Ian Pearson: On 12 June the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (David Miliband) announced new sustainable operations targets for the Government estate. Environmental management systems (EMS) are a key enabler in supporting improvements in operational performance on the estate, particularly in areas such as energy, water and waste. Therefore, the new targets included a commitment that all Government Departments should have an EMS in place, based, or modelled upon, a recognised system (such as ISO 14001, or the European regulation EMAS).
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what agreement he has reached with the Environment Agency on landfill licensing fees for small pet cemeteries; and if he will make a statement. [86594]
Mr. Bradshaw [holding answer 19 July 2006]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 25 May 2006, Official Report, column 1915W.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research he has (a) conducted and (b) commissioned into (i) the capability of farmers to continue to manage the landscape and (ii) possible further changes to the Single Farm Payment to encourage this. [85120]
Barry Gardiner: The Government are committed to conserving and enhancing the countryside and biodiversity and recognise the key role played by farmers and other land managers. The introduction of Environmental Stewardship (ES) in 2005 was recognition of the benefits that can be delivered by farming and provides funding to farmers ad other land managers in England who deliver effective environmental management on their land. Together with the introduction of cross-compliance conditions under the Single Payment Scheme (SPS), this will ensure that the English landscape continues to be protected and enhanced. It will also encourage the retention, if not expansion, of countryside management skills.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps are being taken (a) in England and (b) internationally to reduce the effects of methane emissions. [84239]
Ian Pearson: UK methane emissions between 1990 and 2004 fell by an estimated 50 per cent., mainly as a consequence of reductions in sectors such as waste, agriculture, coal mining and natural gas distribution.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he plans to publish details of the Government’s timetable for the introduction of mandatory regulations for nanotechnology products; and whether they will apply retrospectively for those products already on the market in the UK. [83267]
Ian Pearson: From a review the Department has undertaken and has published on the DEFRA website, I am assured that much of our current legislation addresses risks from materials regardless of their size. DEFRA has responsibility for the possible environmental risks from nanomaterials. If there are environmental risks which need controlling, irrespective of whether the cause of the risk is already marketed or not, they will be appropriately controlled and emergency powers are available if needed.
Mr. Fraser: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether any of the current functions of (a) English Nature and (b) the Countryside Agency will be discarded in the transfer of responsibilities to Natural England. [87072]
Barry Gardiner [holding answer 20 July 2006]: None of the current functions of English Nature or the Countryside Agency will be discarded in the transfer of responsibilities to Natural England, although some of the Countryside Agency’s responsibilities will transfer to the Commission for Rural Communities rather than to Natural England. We took the opportunity in the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act to consolidate and simplify the way in which the roles of these bodies have been described in legislation since the 1940’s. However the statutory purpose of Natural England is deliberately drawn widely to encompass everything which the predecessor bodies were able to do. It will, of course, be a matter for the Board of Natural England, in consultation with Ministers, to decide how to distribute its resources between its various functions.
Mr. Fraser: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress has been made in amalgamating English Nature and the Countryside Agency to form Natural England. [87074]
Barry Gardiner [holding answer 20 July 2006]: Significant progress has been made towards establishing Natural England. For over a year, the constituent bodies that are to form the new agency have been operating as a confederation of partners working together under a common overarching vision and purpose. In May this year we established Natural England as a “skeleton body”, with Chair, members and senior officers, to undertake preparatory work. In June, this skeleton body published a document setting out its “Strategic Direction”. Work is well underway on the remaining arrangements for Natural England to take on its full statutory functions on 1 October.
Mr. Fraser: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what new responsibilities Natural England will have in addition to those arising from the transfer of tasks from the Countryside Agency and English Nature. [87075]
Barry Gardiner [holding answer 20 July 2006]: In addition to the transfer of responsibilities from the Countryside Agency and English Nature, Natural England will also assume responsibility for the majority of the functions which are currently undertaken by DEFRA’s Rural Development Service. Principal among these is the administration of agri-environment schemes. The functions will be formally set out in an agreement, under part 8 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006, between the Secretary of State and Natural England.
Mr. Fraser: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how Natural England will co-ordinate its activities with other Government bodies with responsibilities for the natural environment, with particular reference to the Environment Agency. [87076]
Barry Gardiner [holding answer 20 July 2006]: Natural England will need to work effectively with a wide range of stakeholders at both the national and the regional level. Our Rural Strategy 2004 confirmed the particular importance we attach to the need for Natural England, the Forestry Commission and the Environment Agency to work closely together. A Memorandum of Understanding was agreed in September 2005 setting out how this could be achieved and it was a subject of lively debate during the passage of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill. The first major collaborative project between Natural England and the Environment Agency, on catchment sensitive farming, has begun.
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on how many occasions he has visited each region in an official capacity in the last 12 months. [83974]
Barry Gardiner: Since his appointment my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has visited the South East three times, and the North West, the South West, and the West Midlands each once. In addition he has undertaken numerous engagements in London.
Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the levels of carbon emissions relating to onshore windfarms. [86888]
Malcolm Wicks: I have been asked to reply.
Once a windfarm has been commissioned it produce no carbon emission.
A copy of the full report can be downloaded from their website. http://www.sd-commission.org.uk
Mr. Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department is taking to prevent the habitat of the orang-utan being destroyed in (a) Malaysia, (b) Indonesia and (c) other countries by the increased use of palm oil. [83595]
Barry Gardiner: The Government are very conscious that increasing consumption of goods and services in the UK can have environmental and social consequences overseas. Defra is commissioning research on the environmental impacts of internationally sourced commodity production, and palm oil is one of the commodities being investigated. The results of the research will inform future policy development in the UK and abroad.
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent estimate he has made of the percentage of organic food sold in the UK which was produced in the UK; what powers the UK has to check the authenticity of organic food imported from abroad; and if he will make a statement. [85947]
Barry Gardiner: It is estimated that overall the percentage of organic food sold in the UK which was produced in the UK increased from 30 per cent. in 2002, to 44 per cent. in 2005. For food which can be produced in the UK the estimate for 2005 is 62 per cent. The Soil Association (1)estimate that in 2005, 66 per cent. of the organic primary produce sold by multiple retailers was sourced in the UK
( 1 ) Source :
Organic Market Report 2006—published by the Soil Association—data collected by Soil Association from Tesco, Sainsburys and the Co-op.
Dr. Desmond Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs why the Environment Agency proposes to increase its charges to recreational boaters. [86295]
Barry
Gardiner: The Environment Agency has a significant backlog
of work on its waterways assets. Over the past year it has made
considerable capital
investment towards reducing the backlog but in order for waterways to
remain sustainable in the future, boaters will need to pay a fair and
proportionate contribution towards their upkeep.
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment the Government have made of the monitoring of the construction of onshore oil and gas pipelines on Sakhalin Island to ensure that it meets environmental standards; and how the information is verified. [87576]
Ian Pearson: The Government have been closely involved in the Sakhalin project from both an environmental and social viewpoint. There has been close monitoring of the onshore construction of oil and gas pipelines by the potential lender group, including the Export Credit Guarantee Department (ECGD) and the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). Officials from both ECGD and the Department for International Development have visited the island and some of the construction sites.
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what information his Department has received on how many rivers on Sakhalin Island were crossed with oil and gas pipelines as part of the Sakhalin II project outside the designated winter period detailed in the River Crossing Strategy. [87577]
Ian Pearson: The designated winter period for crossing rivers as part of the Sakhalin II project is1 December to 30 April.
http://www.sakhalinenergy.com/en/proiect.asp?p=rc_list.
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures his Department has taken to ensure that there are sufficient safeguards in place to prevent a net loss of salmon spawning area on Sakhalin Island as a result of construction activities by the Sakhalin II consortium; and if he will make a statement. [87578]
Ian Pearson: The Department has gathered information to ensure there are safeguards in place to prevent a net loss of salmon spawning area on Sakhalin Island. Information gathered on the effect of the Sakhalin II project on salmon spawning habitats includes:
Official and ministerial meetings with Shell;
Information included in Sakhalin Energy's River Crossing Strategy;
Monitoring information published by Sakhalin Energy on its website;
Information gathered during site visits carried out by Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD) and other potential lenders and their independent consultants.
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what recycling targets his Department has set for schools; and if he will make a statement; [86133]
Mr. Bradshaw: No recycling targets have been specifically set by the Government for schools. However, Defra does provide financial support for the operation of Eco-Schools, an international programme developed by the Foundation of Environmental Education (FEE) and managed in England by Environmental Campaigns (ENCAMS). Eco-Schools promotes environmental awareness around nine main themes, one of which is waste minimisation and recycling.
Mr. Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on what date the Sewage Sludge in Agriculture Regulations will be implemented. [86560]
Ian Pearson: The Sludge (Use in Agriculture) Regulations came into force in 1989. We have consulted on proposed revisions and are currently seeking views from stakeholders before making recommendations on how best to proceed.
Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he made the last assessment of the Six Day Movement rule; and if he will make a statement. [87002]
Mr. Bradshaw [holding answer 20 July 2006]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 1 February 2006, Official Report, column 525W.
Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department is taking to promote slow food. [84734]
Barry Gardiner: Under DEFRA's regional food strategy we have, since 2003, been providing an additional one million per year to support the quality regional food sector in England. Food from Britain (FFB) take the lead in the delivery of a national programme of activity that supports producers in the sector. In taking forward this programme of activities, which focuses on trade development, consumer awareness and business competitiveness, FFB work together with a range of organisations, including Slow Food UK.
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether members of his Department with responsibility for the Central Point of Expertise on Timber (a) have visited and (b) have plans to visit (i) Malaysia, (ii) Finland and (iii) Tasmania; and if he will make a statement. [85505]
Barry Gardiner: An official from the Department with responsibility for the Central Point of Expertise on Timber has visited Finland and Malaysia on official business. There are currently no arrangements for a visit to Tasmania.
Dr. Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many households in England are eligible for assistance under the Warm Front programme; and how the overall number of eligible households has changed as a result of revisions to qualifying benefits in each year since 2000. [82896]
Ian Pearson: According to the eligibility criteria for 2004-05, around 2.8 million households in the private sector were eligible for Warm Front.
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what work has been carried out to establish the background levels of fluoxetine in the aquatic environment; and what estimate he has made of the amount of residues from (a) anti-depressant and (b) other drugs in the (i) livers, (ii) brains and (iii) muscle of fish. [84064]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Environment Agency has developed analytical methods for the detection of fluoxetine to levels of 0.002 microgrammes per litre (g/l) and norfluoxetine to 0.005 g/l. Monitoring was undertaken during 2005 downstream of a number of sewage works across England and Wales and fluoxetine (including norfluoxetine) was detected in 90 per cent. of the 39 samples. The average concentration detected was 0.017 g/l. An Environment Agency briefing on fluoxetine is available at: http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/commondata/acrobat/fluoextine_1068996.pdf
Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment he has made of (a) levels of pre-tax profits and (b) increases in water charges imposed by water companies. [80614]
Ian Pearson: Water companies made profits of£2.1 billion in 2004-05. The Government recognises that companies have to pay a return on their capital. However, water companies can only increase their profits by becoming more efficient and delivering all their services at less cost. These savings are also passed to customers in lower bills when the next price limits are set.
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much water on average was consumed by each person in England in the last year for which figures are available, broken down by water company. [84126]
Ian Pearson: Ofwat provides the Government with water consumption figures for England and Wales via the annual security of supply, leakage and the efficient use of water report. Household water consumption is expressed in litres per head per day.
The following table provides company estimates of average household consumption for 2004-05.
| 2004-05 | |
| Water and sewerage companies (WaSC) | |
| Notes:
1. Averages are weighted by population of unmeasured
households. 2. Excludes underground supply pipe
leakage. 3. The 2004-05 report can be accessed on the Ofwat
website at:
http://www.ofwat.gov.uk/aptrix/ofwat/publish.nsf/AttachmentsBy
Title/leakage04-05.pdf/$FILE/leakage_04-05.pdf | |
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much water consumption per head of population was planned by each water company in 2005-06. [84954]
Ian Pearson: All water companies in England and Wales prepared new water resources plans in 2004. The plans provided forecasts of per capita consumption (pcc) from 2005-06 to 2029-30. The following table shows pcc forecasts for 2005-06. These represent the theoretical average demand for water in a dry year, excluding the impact of any restrictions on water use. These numbers have been calculated from water companies’ forecasts of measured and unmeasured pcc.
| Water company | Forecast pcc in 2005-06 (litres/head/day) |
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much water was lost as a result of water leaks in London in each year since 1997. [87724]
Ian Pearson: Ofwat is the economic regulator for the water and sewerage industry in England and Wales. It collects leakage information from companies on their performance against these targets. This information is published annually in Ofwat’s ‘Security of supply, leakage and the efficient use of water report’.
Mr. Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress has been made towards bringing 95 per cent. of all nationally important wildlife sites into favourable condition by 2010. [85460]
Barry Gardiner: As of 3 July 2006, 72.7 per cent. of the area of England covered by sites of special scientific interest (SSSI) was in favourable or recovering condition, compared with 56.9 per cent. in March 2003. This is good progress towards England’s public service agreement target for SSSIs and in line with our trajectory to achieve 95 per cent. by 2010.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Leader of the House how many divisions were called off in each of the last three sessions due to failure to provide tellers; what the (a) date and (b) subject under discussion was in each case; and if he will make a statement. [87222]
Mr. Straw: The Journal Office of the House of Commons has supplied the following information for the last three Sessions, and for the current Session to date:
| Session | Date | Business |
| (1)
To 18 July
2006. | ||
Sarah Teather: To ask the Leader of the House whether he has examined the merits of enabling e-tabling of Early Day Motions; and if he will make a statement. [87730]
Mr. Straw: This is essentially a matter for the House. The Government are however aware of concerns about the principle of electronic tabling for parliamentary proceedings without strong safeguards to ensure that any new system is not open to abuse, and that the Member concerned is personally responsible at each stage. I understand that the Procedure Committee is currently examining matters relating to EDMs, including the procedures for their tabling. I look forward to the Committee's recommendations.
Anne Main: To ask the Leader of the House what steps he is taking to ensure that ministerial answers to parliamentary questions address the terms of the questions being asked. [87753]
Mr. Straw: In answering parliamentary questions, as in other areas, Ministers are subject to the obligations set out in the Ministerial Code, which states that:
"It is of paramount importance that Ministers give accurate and truthful information to Parliament... Ministers should be as open as possible with Parliament and the public, refusing to provide information only when disclosure would not be in the public interest".
Ministerial answers should reflect the terms of the questions asked.
Anne Main: To ask the Leader of the House if he will ask the Modernisation Committee to examine the degree to which the quality of replies to parliamentary questions enables Ministers to be held accountable by hon. Members. [88280]
Mr. Straw: I have no plans to do so. I understand that the Procedure Committee may be considering an inquiry into parliamentary questions later this year. The Public Administration Select Committee (and its predecessor the Public Service Committee) has conducted regular inquiries since 1995-96 into aspects of the answers to parliamentary questions.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans his Department has for improving the A13; what improvements were made to the A13 between Basildon and Southend-on-Sea during 2005; and if he will make a statement. [87256]
Dr. Ladyman: The A13 is the responsibility of the Secretary of State only between its junctions with the A1306 and A1089. We have no plans at present for improvements to this section of road. The remainder of the A13 is the responsibility of Southend on Sea borough council and Essex county council. Improvements to these sections of the road are therefore matters for these authorities. In his announcement of 6 July about Regional Funding Allocations, the Secretary of State approved entry into the programme of a scheme promoted by Essex county council for the improvement of the junction of A13 with A130 at Sadler’s Farm.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) minor and (b) serious accidents occurred on the A13 between the A405 and the M25 in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available. [87258]
Dr. Ladyman: I presume the hon. Member means the A406. The number of serious and slight personal injury road accidents reported to the police on the A13 between the A406 and the M25 from 1996 to 2005 is given in the table.
| Accidents occurring on A13 between A406 and M25:1996-2005 | ||
| Serious | Slight | |
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much has been spent on properties purchased by the Highways Agency under compulsory purchase orders along the proposed A21 upgrade route. [86739]
Dr. Ladyman: No properties on this route have been compulsory purchased.
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the environmental consequences of the proposed A21 upgrade. [87925]
Dr. Ladyman: The environmental consequences of the proposed A21 upgrade schemes are being assessed in accordance with the prescribed methodology set out in Volume 11 of the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges.
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with residents in East Sussex regarding the proposed A21 upgrade. [87926]
Dr. Ladyman: The Highways Agency has had discussions with residents in East Sussex, regarding the proposed A21 upgrade, as part of public consultation undertaken from November 2002 onwards.
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what role (a) Rother district council and (b) East Sussex county council have played in the proposed A21 upgrade. [87929]
Dr. Ladyman: Rother district council and East Sussex county council have participated in the A21 upgrade consultation processes that have taken place both prior to and following the publication of the Access to Hastings Multi Modal Study.
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much the Highways Agency has spent on consultation fees while assessing the proposed A21 upgrade. [87930]
Dr. Ladyman: The Highways Agency spent £8,181.44 (ex-VAT) on the A21 upgrade consultation process that took place following the Access to Hastings Multi Modal Study.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) fatal and (b) non-fatal traffic accidents there were in each London borough in each year since 1997. [87498]
Dr. Ladyman: The information requested has been placed in the Libraries of the House.
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many pedestrians have been (a) killed and (b) injured by vehicles in each of the last 10 years. [87123]
Dr. Ladyman: The number of pedestrians killed in personal injury road accidents reported to the police for the years up to 2004 is published in Table 2 of Road Casualties Great Britain: 2004. Pedestrian fatalities for 2005 are published in Table 1 of Road Casualties Great Britain: Main Results: 2005.
Copies of these publications are in the Libraries of the House.
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road traffic accidents occurred on or near pedestrian crossings in each year since 1997; and how many of these accidents involved the (a) death and (b) injury of pedestrians. [87124]
Dr. Ladyman: The number of personal injury road accident reported to the police that occurred on or within 50 m of a pedestrian crossing facility, and those that involved a pedestrian death or injury are given in the table.
| Accidents on or within 50 m of a pedestrian crossing facility: 1997-2005 | |||
| All accidents | Accidents involving pedestrian death | Accidents involving pedestrian injury | |
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many hit-and-run incidents there have been in each London borough in each of the last five years. [86772]
Dr. Ladyman: The number of personal injury road accidents reported to the police which involved one or more hit and run drivers or riders for the years 2001-05, in each London borough is given in the table.
| Number of personal injury accidents involving one or more hit and run drivers/riders by London borough: 2001-05 | |||||
| Number of accidents | |||||
| 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | |
| Source: Transport for London | |||||
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many traffic accidents there were involving (a) pedestrians, (b) buses, (c) trams and (d) cyclists in London in each year since 1997. [87499]
Dr. Ladyman: The number of personal injury accidents reported to the police involving (a) pedestrian casualties, (b) buses, (c) trams and (d) cyclists in London in each year since 1997 are given in the following table.
| Personal injury accidents by vehicle type: London: 1997-2005 | ||||
| Number of accidents | ||||
| With pedestrian casualties | Involving a bus or coach | Involving a tram( 1) | Involving pedal cycles | |
| (1)
Data for accidents involving trams is only available from 1999
onwards Source: Transport for London | ||||
Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many sleep-related traffic accidents occurred on motorways in each of the past three years; how many (a) deaths and (b) serious injuries were incurred; and what steps his Department is taking to reduce the incidence of such accidents. [87584]
Dr. Ladyman: I refer to my answers to thehon. Member for South Swindon (Anne Snelgrove) of 28 November 2005, Official Report, column 153W and to the hon. Member for Southend, West (Mr. Amess) of 3 July 2006, Official Report, column 740W.
Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will introduce legislation to make it a requirement for all bicycles to be fitted with bells at all times whilst being ridden. [87358]
Dr. Ladyman: Bells are currently required to be fitted at the point of sale of a bicycle, but there is no obligation to retain the bell when the cycle is in use, or indeed for the bell to be used.
I would of course undertake a public consultation before making any proposal to amend regulations.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many collisions of boats there were on the River Thames in each of the last five years. [87786]
Dr. Ladyman: For each of the five years from 2001 to 2005 the total numbers of collisions involving all types of craft in the Thames area recorded by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) are:
| Number | |
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many boat licences were granted in each London borough in each year since 1997. [87501]
Dr. Ladyman: This information is not held by the Department for Transport.
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the pass rate was in each of the last three financial years for driving tests conducted by the Driving Standards Agency examiners on bus driver candidates; and how many bus driver candidates passed in each year. [87858]
Dr. Ladyman: The following table shows PCV (bus) tests conducted, number of passes and the pass rate for the last three financial years. Only tests conducted by DSA examiners are included.
| Number tests | Number passes | Pass rate (percentage) | |
Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his Answer of 27 June 2006, Official Report, column 258W, on cargo transfers, what guidance his Department has issued to harbour authorities on applying for (a) Harbour Revision Orders and (b) other orders under the Harbours Act 1964; and whether such guidance applies only in England and Wales. [87808]
Dr. Ladyman: The Department has published advice on the procedures for obtaining Harbour Orders on the Department's website at
http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_shipping/documents/page/dft_shipping_611467.hcsp.
The guidance applies only to England and Wales.
Mr. Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what studies he has undertaken on the likely impact of Crossrail on the Heathrow Express. [86265]
Derek Twigg [holding answer 18 July 2006]: The report of the Crossrail Timetable Working Group, published on 22 June 2006, considers the impact of Crossrail services on existing rail services and future services allowing for growth, including Heathrow Express. A copy of the report can be found on my Department’s website:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_railways/documents/page/dft_railways_611918.pdf
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) fatal, (b) serious and (c) slight injuries suffered by cyclists on (i) urban roads and (ii) rural roads in each year since 2003 resulted from collisions involving (A) at least one motor vehicle, (B) no motor vehicles and (C) powered two-wheel vehicles. [87211]
Dr. Ladyman: The information requested is given in the table. The figures relate to casualties in personal injury road accidents reported to the police.
| Cyclist Casualties on Urban and Rural Roads, by Vehicle Involved in an Accident: 2003-05 | ||||
| Accidents involving: | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | |
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people have (a) died and (b) received serious head injuries as a result of a cycling accident in each of the last 10 years. [87212]
Dr. Ladyman: The number of fatalities in personal injury road accidents reported to the police involving cyclists is given in the table.
| Fatalities in accidents involving a cyclist, Great Britain, 1996-2005 | |
| Number | |
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what arrangements for conducting tests and keeping proper records have to be in place before he will grant his approval to the appointment of delegated examiners. [87836]
Dr. Ladyman: Before an organisation is approved to use delegated examiners it is visited by the local Supervising Driving Examiner. This is to confirm that all the necessary arrangements are in place to ensure that driving tests are conducted fairly and properly and under similar conditions to those conducted by DSA’s own examiners.
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the Driver Standards Agency has a dedicated team of people who supervise the operations of Passenger Carrying Vehicle delegated examiners. [87844]
Dr. Ladyman: The Driving Standards Agency's (DSA) sector managers are responsible for supervising delegated examiners. All sector managers are supervising driving examiners who undertake this quality assurance work as part of their general standards maintenance duties. DSA has 38 sector managers in post.
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff in the Driver Standards Agency work solely on conducting supervised Passenger Carrying Vehicle delegated examiner check tests. [87845]
Dr. Ladyman: None. The 38 sector managers in the Driving Standards Agency undertake this quality assurance work as part of their general standards maintenance duties.
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether research has been undertaken by his Department into the effectiveness and safety of Passenger Carrying Vehicle delegated examiners conducting tests. [87851]
Dr. Ladyman: No research has been undertaken.
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when passenger carrying vehicle delegated examiners were first introduced. [87852]
Dr. Ladyman: Delegated examiners for the passenger carrying transport industry were introduced by a predecessor to the Department for Transport at least 30 years ago. Responsibility for the scheme passed to the Driving Standards Agency when the Agency was established in September 1990.
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what fee is charged by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) to train a passenger carrying vehicle (PCV) delegated examiner; and what income DSA has earned from training PCV delegated examiners in each of the last three financial years. [87853]
Dr. Ladyman: The charge for each full four-week course is £4,000 per trainee. Trainees who need to repeat only part of the course pay a proportional fee.
| £ | |
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many actual supervised (check) driving tests the Driving Standards Agency undertook on passenger carrying vehicle delegated examiners in each the last three financial years; and how many tests were cancelled in each year. [87855]
Dr. Ladyman: 78 supervisory tests were conducted during the period 2005-06. No data about supervisory tests was collected before that time.
No supervisory tests have been cancelled.
Mr. Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the number of drivers aged (a) 18 to 21 and (b) over 60 years in (i) 1980, (ii) 1990 and (iii) 2005 expressed (A) as a number and (B) as a proportion of the driving population. [87361]
Dr. Ladyman: The following table gives the number of people aged 18 to 21 and over 60 who hold a full driving licence and the proportion of the total number of licence holders in these age groups in 1985-86, 1989-91 and 2004, based on data from the National Travel Survey.
| Number of full driving licence holders and proportion of total licence holders aged 18 to 21 years and over 60 years | |||
| 1985-86 | 1989-91 | 2004 | |
Mr. Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations his Department has received on the second EC Directive on driving licences, 91/439/EEC. [85986]
Dr. Ladyman: The second EC Directive on driving licences, 91/439/EEC, which was implemented in Great Britain on 1 January 1997, covers a very wide range of subjects relating to driving licensing matters. The Department for Transport receives many enquiries and representations on matters relating to the provisions of this directive.
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost to date is of the Driving Standards Agency’s Driving Safety Forward agenda. [87838]
Dr. Ladyman: Cost to date of the Driving Safety Forward project is £349,978.70 (excluding VAT) paid to the Agency’s consultants, Symbia.
This excludes costs for staff time which have not been apportioned specifically to the project.
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport why there was no competitive tender for the contract for the Driving Safety Forward agenda; and how EU procurement rules were complied with in this instance. [87839]
Dr. Ladyman: Competitive tenders for the organisational review consultancy were invited from “OGC Buying.Solutions’” framework contractors. Seven tenders were received.
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the end date is for the contract with Symbia Ltd. for the Driver Standards Agency's Driving Safety Forward agenda. [87840]
Dr. Ladyman: In accordance with the latest contract variation, the end date of the contract with Symbia Ltd. is 29 September 2006.
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what (a) consultants and (b) contractors have been employed by the Driving Standards Agency in each of the last three financial years; what type of work each carried out; and how much was spent on each in each year. [87837]
Dr. Ladyman: A table has been placed in the Libraries of the House which shows information about consultants employed by the Driving Standards Agency in the last three financial years.
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average waiting time for a driving test was (a) in England and (b) broken down by (i) region and (ii) test centre in each of the last five years. [85810]
Dr. Ladyman: Available figures for number of weeks waiting time nationally, and in each DSA region, in each of the last five years are as follows:
| Number of weeks | |||||
| 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | |
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many full-time equivalent staff are working on implementing and administering EU directives, regulations and policies in his Department; [86758]
Dr. Ladyman: Implementation and administration of EU directives, regulations and policies is an important part of the work of the Department for Transport and we seek to do this in a timely and efficient way consistent with the principles of better regulation. Implementation and administration of EU policy is generally carried out by staff as part of their wider work and activity is not broken down in this way. The information requested could therefore be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he was first informed of the plans of First Capital Connect to prevent use of cheap day return tickets on former Thameslink services serving Hertfordshire; what representations he made to First Capital Connect about these plans; and whether he took these plans into account in his decision to award the relevant franchise to First Capital Connect. [83563]
Derek Twigg: The First Capital Connect bid included a proposal to restrict the use of day return fares during the evening peak on certain routes. Day returns are fares that are not regulated and it is for operators to decide whether to offer them, at what price and with what restrictions.
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to ensure that there are adequate controls on issuing certificates of equivalent competency for foreign officers serving on UK ships. [87548]
Dr. Ladyman: I have asked the Chief Executive of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to establish a working group, including representatives from the shipping industry and trade unions, to examine these issues.
Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much funding the Government are providing to West Lancashire district council to provide free bus travel for (a) older and (b) disabled persons; and whether it plans to use all of this funding to provide free travel. [83466]
Gillian Merron: The funding for concessionary fares is provided through revenue support grant which is unhypothecated; therefore the funding for concessionary fares is not separately identified. It is for local authorities to deicide on their overall funding priorities based on their judgment of local need and circumstances.
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of cars owned by the Government Car and Despatch Agency come with air conditioning as standard. [87932]
Dr. Ladyman: 99.04 per cent. of the Government Car and Despatch Agency’s car fleet has air conditioning as standard.
Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the original estimate of cost was for the Great Barford by-pass; and what the anticipated outturn of expenditure is. [87431]
Dr. Ladyman: The original estimated cost of the scheme at TPI entry in 1998 was £25 million and excluded VAT, ‘optimism bias’ projected inflation and revising costs in line with the road construction price index.
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the total expenditure on highways in Haltemprice and Howden constituency was in each of the last two financial years; and what the average figure was per constituency in each year. [88592]
Dr. Ladyman: Expenditure on highways (both by local authorities and the Highways Agency) cannot be disaggregated to constituency level except at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many motorists killed in road accidents in each of the last five years had traces of illegal drugs in their bodies. [87485]
Dr. Ladyman: This information is not available. A study of fatal accident victims during the period 1996-2000 showed that in a sample of 779 drivers and riders killed, 17 per cent. had traces of illegal drugs. In 8 per cent. of the sample the drug detected was cannabis, traces of which remain detectable in the body long after consumption.
Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the number of motorists who drove with illegal drugs in their bodies in the last 12 months. [87486]
Dr. Ladyman: No such estimate is made by the Department. A 2004 European Commission study “Impaired motorists: methods of roadside testing and assessment for licensing” co-funded by member states, examined the prevalence of illegal drugs in drivers. The summary of the results of the UK element of that study are at www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_rdsafety/documents/page/dft_rdsafety_611649-03.hcsp#P58_ 5194. The full report is at www.immortal.or.at/
Mr. Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to publish the Government's guidance on light rail procurement. [87434]
Derek Twigg: We hope to publish guidance on light rail later this year.
Mr. Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of safety measures on the London Underground network in relation to protection against the threat of terrorism. [85257]
Gillian Merron [holding answer 17 July 2006]: The Department for Transport keeps the preventative transport security measures we require under regular review. Industry implementation of the measures is subject to an ongoing programme of compliance monitoring and enforcement by DFT inspectors.
Mr. Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the concrete surface of the M25 between junctions 8 and 9 is to be replaced with quieter surfacing. [87082]
Dr. Ladyman: The M25 between junctions 8 and 9 will not require resurfacing for maintenance needs within the period of the Agency’s current five year forward programme. However when it does need to be resurfaced a quieter surfacing will be used as a matter of course.
Ms Butler: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what the forecast costs are of each Highways Agency major roads project; [88133]
Dr. Ladyman: The Chief Executive of the Highways Agency wrote to the Transport Select Committee in April 2006 with information on the latest ministerially approved budgets for major road schemes. I have placed the same data in the Libraries of the House. Since April the following changes have been approved:
| £ million | ||
| Previous approved budget cost | Latest approved budget cost | |
Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate his Department has made of the economic effects of the implementation of the published scheme for improvements to the A303 Stonehenge in the first year after construction. [88240]
Dr. Ladyman: The Highways Agency's economic analysis of the A303 Stonehenge scheme is based on an assumed start of construction in 2008. On this assumption, it is estimated that in the first year after construction (2013) of the published scheme there would be travel time savings of between £3.495 million at low growth and £6.317 million at high growth. In addition, there would be safety benefits (resulting from a reduction in accidents) of between £2.035 million at low growth and £2.211 million at high growth.
Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will publish a consultation document on regulations governing motorway service areas. [87583]
Dr. Ladyman: I have asked the Highways Agency to undertake a review of policy on roadside facilities, including motorway service areas. As part of the review process we shall be carrying out a public consultation exercise. It is anticipated that this consultation will commence shortly.
Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what mechanism is used to grant consent to new oil handling facilities (a) within harbour authority areas and (b) elsewhere in UK internal and territorial waters. [87809]
Dr. Ladyman: There is no single mechanism for the granting of consent to new oil handling facilities. There are a range of possible consent regimes for such facilities, dependant upon where they are, whether there are new works involved and the extent to which there are existing powers available to the authorities involved.
John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many of the comments received in response to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s consultation on oil spill contingency plans covering ship-to-ship transfers of oil in the Firth of Forth were categorised as not relevant; what proportion of such comments related to the effects of oil spill plan amendments in combination with effects of the proposed transfers; whether these comments will be made available to Forth Ports to assist them in assessing the transfer proposals under regulation 3 of the Conservation (Natural Habitats etc) Regulations 1994; and whether these comments will be published. [86736]
Dr. Ladyman: This information was placed on the Maritime and Coastguard Agency website on the14 July 2006 in the form of a Responses Consultation Table and a Summary Analysis of Consultee Responses. The website address for these documents is:
http://www.mcga.gov.uk/c4mca/mcga-guidance-requlation/mcga -consultations/mcga-current_consultations/mcga-consultations-sts_forth/mcga-consultations-sts_outcome.htm
All comments relevant to the consultation process have been included in these documents.
John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the timetable is for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to report to him following its consultation on (a) the implications for European wildlife sites of the proposed changes to Forth Ports oil contingency plans and (b) the other documents on which comment was invited in connection with ship-to-ship transfers of oil in the Firth of Forth; and what mechanism is proposed for making the findings public. [86737]
Dr. Ladyman: The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) announced on 14 July 2006 its intention to approve the Oil Spill Contingency Plan covering Ship-to-Ship (STS) transfers in the Firth of Forth submitted by the harbour authority, and the harbour authority’s proposed amendments to the overarching Clearwater Forth contingency plan, subject to a number of specified changes being made.
John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many responses have been made by (a) statutory bodies, (b) non-governmental and community organisations and (c) private individuals to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s consultation on ship-to-ship transfers of oil in the Firth of Forth. [86738]
Dr. Ladyman: This information was placed on the Maritime and Coastguard Agency website on the 14 July 2006 in the form of a Responses Consultation Table and a Summary Analysis of Consultee Responses. The website address for these documents is:
http://www.mcga.gov.uk/c4mca/mcga-quidance-requlation/mcga-consultations/mcga-current_consultations/mcga-consultations-sts_forth/mcga-consultations-sts_outcome.htm
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what changes he plans to make to the existing regulations in respect of the working hours of professional drivers; and if he will make a statement. [86948]
Dr. Ladyman: A new, directly applicable, EU regulation on drivers' hours has recently been adopted by the EU institutions—it was published in the Official Journal in April 2006 and will, for the most part, come into force in April 2007.
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which railway lines in England and Wales are under consideration for reopening; and what his policy is on the reopening of railway lines. [85533]
Derek Twigg: In July next year we will publish our High Level Output Specification. This will set out the railway outputs the Government wish to buy in terms of capacity, safety and reliability and the funding to support this for the next five years. It is for the industry to determine what inputs are needed to deliver this.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what solutions he has identified to overcrowding on the railways. [82505]
Derek Twigg: We are currently seeing huge growth in the railways, with more than a billion passengers carried last year, and this is set to continue. To help meet this challenge we are investing record amounts in the network.
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost to date is of the development of the new Integrated Register of Driver Training system; and how much of the expenditure went to Capita. [87841]
Dr. Ladyman: The software development cost to date for the Integrated Register of Driver Trainers is £1,140,000 including VAT.
All of this expenditure will go to Capita.
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) change of control notices and (b) variation orders have been issued by the Driver Standards Agency in the development of the new Integrated Register of Driver Training system; and what the cost of each is. [87842]
Dr. Ladyman: 16 change control notices (CCNs) have been approved to date at a total cost of £332,470 including VAT. We are negotiating the costs of other variations and will issue further CCNs. The following table lists the cost and the number of individual variations covered in each of the CCNs agreed to date:
| CCN | Change Requests/Variations (Number) | Cost (excluding VAT) (£) |
| (1)
Various security-related
variations. | ||
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the (a) estimated cost of and (b) timetable for developing the Integrated Register of Driver Training is; and whether each has changed since the project was established. [87843]
Dr. Ladyman: The estimated software development cost for the Integrated Register of Driver Trainers is £2,400,000 including VAT. The initial estimate when the project was established was £1,090,000 including VAT but this was based upon a very basic definition of the system. This definition changed significantly as the detailed requirements were identified during the course of the project.
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the (a) original estimated cost of and (b) most recent cost estimates are for (i) Highways Agency schemes in the Targeted Programme of Improvements and (ii) all local authority schemes approved through the local transport plans. [86139]
Dr. Ladyman: For Highways Agency schemes, I refer the hon. Member to my answer today to the hon. Member for Brent, East (Sarah Teather).
Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which road schemes were commenced by the Highways Agency in the Eastern Region in each year from 1999-2000 to 2005-06; and what the (a) original estimated cost, (b) final outturn cost, (c) original completion date and (d) actual completion date was of each project. [87432]
Dr. Ladyman: The following table lists all major road schemes, located in the Eastern Region, that have started works each year since 2000-01. In addition to the major projects detailed, the Highways Agency delivers many maintenance and smaller scheme improvements costing less than £5 million. The Highways Agency does not hold information for these schemes in the requested format.
| Scheme | TPI entry cost (£ million) | Total estimated (£ million) | Projected completion date at TPI entry | Actual/latest estimated completion date |
Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) harbours and (b) oil handling facilities are subject to the Merchant Shipping(Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation Convention) Regulations 1998; and what proportion are located within statutory harbour authorityareas. [87811]
Dr. Ladyman: There are 167 Merchant Shipping (Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation Convention) Regulations 1998 Oil Spill Contingency Plans approved by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.
159 of the 167 plans are harbour authority plans.
Eight of the 167 plans are stand alone oil handling facility plans within a harbour authority.
Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how proposals to regulate Ship-to-Ship Transfers of oil and other cargoes in UK territorial waters will be implemented in harbour authority areas. [87813]
Dr. Ladyman: My officials are working on draft legislation which would control bunker transfers and Ship to Ship Transfers (STS) of oil or other hazardous and noxious substances carried as cargo in the UK's territorial sea and internal waters. It is not intended to apply the regulations to cover operations in statutory harbour areas.
Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he next expects to review the stopping distances quoted within the Highway Code; and if he will make a statement. [88153]
Dr. Ladyman: The Department is currently considering major revisions to the Highway Code, following the public consultation which ended on12 May 2006. We intend to publish the new edition of the code in spring 2007, subject to parliamentary approval. Stopping distances quoted in the code will be considered as part of the revision.
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost of electricity for street lighting on national roads supervised by the Highways Agency was in the most recent year for which figures are available. [86966]
Dr. Ladyman: For the financial year ending31 March 2006 the gross spend, including VAT, on street lighting on the roads for which the Highways Agency is responsible, was £9.1 million.
Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the progress of the Thameslink 2000 project. [88157]
Dr. Ladyman: The Department for Transport and the Department for Communities and local government are currently considering the Inspector's report of the public inquiry held last year into the Thameslink 2000 project. Decisions on the various applications made by Network Rail in relation to this project will be announced as soon as is reasonably possible.
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the total volume of traffic in the Peterborough city council area was in each year since 2001; and what the percentage change has been over that period. [88198]
Dr. Ladyman: The following table gives the information requested:
| Estimates of traffic volume, and year-on-year percentage change, in the Peterborough city council area: 2001 to 2005 | ||
| All motor vehicles (million vehicle kilometres) | Year on year percentage change (percentage) | |
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what expenditure on transport infrastructure schemes to support economic regeneration his Department is considering in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly; what the schemes are; how much of the expenditure will come from public funds; and when he expects decisions to be made. [87609]
Gillian Merron: The Department is currently considering two proposals for funding transport infrastructure put forward by Cornwall to support economic regeneration. The first concerns the transfer of RAF St. Mawgan from a military civilian airport (Newquay airport). The second is a new combined freight and passenger vessel to operate between Penzance and the Isles of Scilly, plus harbour improvements at Penzance and St. Mary's.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with the Parliamentary Advisory Committee on Transportation Safety; what note was kept of each meeting; and if he will make a statement. [81245]
Dr. Ladyman: The Secretary of State has not met the Parliamentary Advisory Committee on Transport Safety (PACTS). The Minister of State gave the ministerial response to a PACTS Westminster lecture in December last year and addressed a joint reception organised by the hon. Member for Northampton, North (Ms Keeble) and PACTS on 5 July. He also met with the hon. Member for Stafford (Mr. Kidney) who was accompanied by the executive director of PACTS in May, to discuss the Road Safety Bill.
A note of that meeting is kept by the Department.
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what steps he is taking to increase the number of UK seafarers working regularly at sea and the number of new entrant trainees; [87547]
Dr. Ladyman: I am considering the advice of the Shipping Task Force sub-group that was formed to propose measures to improve the maritime employment environment. The advice of the sub-group includes measures linked to both the training and employment of UK seafarers. I will make an announcement in due course.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) low emission cars, (b) cars, (c) sports utility vehicles and (d) motorcycles are owned per person in London. [87783]
Dr. Ladyman: The following table is derived from DVLA data on vehicle registrations. It provides details of vehicles registered to keepers located in Greater London, compared with Greater London’s population aged 17 or over. Some of the vehicles included, especially company cars, will be registered to London addresses but not driven in London.
| Vehicles registered per 1,000 adults in Greater London at the end of 2005 | |
| Number | |
11. Mr. Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contribution he expects British armed forces to make to the Prime Minister's proposed international force to be sent to Lebanon. [87194]
Mr. Ingram: Firstly, I would like to pay tribute to those members of the armed forces, and their partners and families, who have contributed in any way to the evacuation of UK and other nationals from Lebanon over recent days. The evacuation was conducted with the utmost professionalism, under difficult conditions, with the safety of evacuees paramount at all times. I should also like to convey my thanks to those members of the FCO and the MOD who have been involved in the evacuation. I offer all those involved my personal congratulations on a job well done.
12. Lynda Waltho: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps British military personnel are taking to help to prevent conflicts in Africa. [87195]
Mr. Ingram: UK armed forces personnel are playing an important role in helping prevent conflict in Africa, by building peace support capacity and teaching the principles of good governance and the democratic accountability of armed forces. British military personnel are providing training and technical assistance to the African Union, to African regional organisations and peace support centres and bilaterally to key partner countries such as Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana and Sierra Leone, in order to help build long-term conflict prevention and peacekeeping capacity.
13. Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the involvement of British troops in the NATO deployment in Kosovo. [87196]
Mr. Ingram: The UK contribution to the NATO KFOR mission is around 180 troops, providing a highly effective force able to deploy across the whole of Kosovo. We remain committed to supporting NATO as they work alongside the UN Administrative Mission in Kosovo and the Kosovo Police Service. All of those responsible for security are working closely to maintain a safe and secure environment during the ongoing Final Status process.
14. David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the quality of maintenance of forces' accommodation; and if he will make a statement. [87197]
Mr. Watson: The Government attach a high priority to the quality of life of Service personnel and their families and are committed to improving and maintaining the quality of accommodation provided to them to the highest standards.
15. Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether it is the Government's policy to maintain the nuclear deterrent in the long-term. [87199]
Des Browne: We made it clear in our manifesto at the 2005 General Election that we are committed to retaining the United Kingdom's independent nuclear deterrent. The Prime Minister has made clear that this commitment applies for the planned life of the current system. Decisions on the position beyond that point will be made later this year.
16. Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how long it takes to target Trident missiles when at sea. [87200]
Des Browne: All the United Kingdom’s Trident missiles have been de-targeted since 1994. The missiles can be targeted in sufficient time to meet any foreseeable requirement.
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many civil servants listed are working on Trident and nuclear weapons policy, broken down by grade. [86696]
Des Browne [holding answer 20 July 2006]: There are nine full-time civil servants in the Ministry of Defence working on Trident and nuclear weapons policy: 1 x Senior Civil Servant, 3 x Band B1s, 2 x Band B2s, 2 x Band Cs and 1 x Band E. They consult and engage others, as necessary.
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reason a discussion of a replacement for the Trident nuclear system was not included in the section on future capabilities of his Department's Annual Report and Accounts for 2005-06, HC 1394. [86924]
Des Browne: The Annual Report and Accounts 2005-06 is a retrospective document accounting forthe Department's use of the resources Parliament authorised for Defence against the performance baseline in the Departmental Plan 2005-09 reflecting the outcome of the 2004 Spending Review.
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what research work has been carried out to improve the (a) reliability, (b) performance, (c) longevity and (d) safety of the UK’s Trident nuclear warhead. [87169]
Des Browne: Since the introduction into service of the current Trident warhead in 1994, no research has been undertaken to improve its performance. Work continues, however, under the stockpile stewardship programme at AWE to underwrite the continued reliability, longevity, and safety of our Trident warheads.
17. Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many new recruits have joined the Army in the last two years, broken down by region of origin. [87201]
Mr. Watson: Over the last two financial years 21,880 recruits to the Regular Army enlisted nationally ranging from 380 in Northern Ireland to 3,650 in the North East. In my hon. Friend’s own region, the West Midlands, he should be proud that 2,150 joined. I will place full details in the Library.
18. Angela Watkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with defence manufacturers concerning armoured vehicles capable of withstanding improvised explosive devices. [87202]
Des Browne: I announced an urgent review of protected vehicles for operations on 26 June. Today in a written statement I confirmed that this review had highlighted the requirement for a protected vehicle with capabilities between those of the heavily armoured Warrior and the light and manoeuvrable SNATCH Land Rover. As the statement explained we shall buy around 100 additional Vector vehicles, up-armour a further 70 430 series armoured personnel carriers and introduce around 100 Cougar wheeled armoured vehicles.
21. Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the availability of UK armoured vehicles in theatres of war. [87205]
Des Browne: As at 16 July, the availability of armoured vehicles deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan generally exceeded our targets.
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many times armoured vehicles broke down in Iraq between January and May 2006, broken down by vehicle type. [84803]
Mr.
Ingram: We keep records of vehicle availability, rather
than each breakdown, to allow for more efficient fleet management. This
also provides a clearer picture
for commanders on the ground of the assets at their disposal. Between
January and May 2006 vehicle availability for UK forces in Iraq
was:
| Vehicle | Availability (Percentage) |
Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank and Challenger 2 Armoured Recovery Vehicle | |
Warrior Armoured Fighting Vehicle and Armoured Fighting Vehicle 432 | |
19. David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the security situation in southern Iraq. [87203]
Des
Browne: The four provinces covered by Multi-National
Division (South East) remain relatively quiet compared to other areas
of Iraq, accounting for around 4 per cent. of all attacks. The security
situation in Basra, however, continues to cause concern. To address the
problems in the province, the Iraqi Government, has announced a
security plan for Basra.
I discussed the plan with Prime Minister Maliki this morning. The plan
is in its early stages but has already resulted in increased presence
of Iraqi security forces—with more to
come.
Mr. Walter: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how much ordnance was used by British forces in Iraq in each of the last six months, broken down by type; [86101]
Des Browne [holding answer 20 July 2006]: Routine training accounted for the majority of most ammunition natures expended in Iraq by British forces. The following ammunition, broken down by type, was expended in each month, between January and June 2006:
| Ordnance type | Explanation of use | January | February | March | April | May |
Main armament on Warrior Armoured Fighting Vehicle (Rarden Cannon) | ||||||
Used as high explosive donor charges in controlled explosions | ||||||
| Ordnance type | Explanation of use | June | Training | Operational use | Total |
Main armament on Warrior Armoured Fighting Vehicle (Rarden Cannon) | |||||
Used as high explosive donor charges in controlled explosions | |||||
Anne Moffat: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the aims are of the provincial reconstruction team in Basra; and what he expects the team to achieve. [87188]
Des Browne: Provincial reconstruction teams aim to provide support to build the capacity of Iraqi institutions at a provincial level.
20. Mr. Devine: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress is being made in training Afghan security forces in peacekeeping. [87204]
Des Browne: Over 28,000 Afghan troops and over 30,000 police have been trained and equipped, although their training does not focus specifically on peacekeeping activities.
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which countries have troops operating under the international security assistance force in Afghanistan; how many troops they had deployed on 10 July; and what restrictions are in place on the use of these forces. [85093]
Des Browne: As at 10 July, the following 36 countries contribute a total of around 10,000 troops to the international security assistance force (ISAF) in Afghanistan:
Albania
Austria
Azerbaijan
Belgium
Bulgaria
Canada
Celand
Croatia
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
FYROM
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Ireland
Italy
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
New Zealand
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
The Netherlands
Turkey
UK
US
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the adequacy of (a) the number of Intelligence Corps personnel based in Helmand province and (b) the resources provided to the Intelligence Corps in Afghanistan. [85774]
Des Browne: The force package deployed to Afghanistan is that recommended by the Chiefs of Staff as the right force for the task.
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what facilities are available for the detention of military detainees in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement. [86700]
Des Browne [holding answer 20 July 2006]: UK armed forces have temporary holding facilities available in the south. NATO and UK policy is that detainees should either be transferred to the Afghan authorities within 96 hours, or released.
Mr. Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the role of British forces in Afghanistan's counter-narcotics campaign. [87198]
Des Browne: Troops deployed as part of the NATO-led International security assistance force (ISAF)—including British forces deployed as part of the Helmand Task Force—are authorised to provide support to Afghan counter-narcotics forces, including training, and they will help the Afghans create a secure environment in which economic development and institutional reform—both essential to the elimination of the opium industry—can take place.
22. Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many complaints his Department has received about the administration of salaries of British armed forces personnel paid through the joint personnel administration system. [87206]
Mr. Watson: The initial roll out of joint personnel administration for pay and a wide range of other administrative services has been to the Royal Air Force only, and formal complaints about aspects of the system have been received in the form of 19 items of ministerial correspondence, and some 236 complaints via the internal complaints procedure of the Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency. None have been received under the formal Royal Air Force redress of complaints procedure. However, the errors have reduced from 1,100 in May to 485 in June.
23. Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps the Government are taking to promote peace and security in Africa. [87207]
Mr.
Ingram: The Government are supporting
the building of African conflict prevention and conflict management
capacity at continent, regional and national level, in line with our
wider G8 and international commitments. A key aspect of this work is UK
funding and technical support for the development of an African Peace
and Security Architecture under the auspices of the African Union,
enhancing the capacity of Africans to lead mediation and peacekeeping
within their own continent. At regional level, the Government are
supporting a range of political dialogues, security sector reform
programmes and civil society building initiatives designed to improve
stability and security. In addition, British forces are helping develop
African peace support operations capacity and are directly supporting a
number of peacekeeping missions in
Africa.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what advertising campaigns the Department ran between 2000 and June 2004; and what the (a) date and (b) cost was of each. [87067]
Mr. Watson: The only advertising campaigns undertaken by the Ministry of Defence are Armed Forces recruitment related. The information requested is not held centrally in the format requested. Details that are available are as follows:
| £ million | ||||
| Financial Year | Royal Navy | Royal Marines | Army | RAF |
Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress his Department has made with the development of an uninhabited aerial vehicle technology demonstrator programme. [86663]
Mr. Ingram: The Ministry of Defence is currently working towards contract for an Uninhabited Air Vehicle Technology Demonstrator Programme (TDP) jointly funded with industry as announced in the Defence Industrial Strategy.
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to ensure that there are more sites where close air support operations and forward air control exercises can take place. [85214]
Mr. Watson: We keep the number of sites used for training exercises under constant review.
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the availability of training sites for close air support operations and forward air control exercises. [86276]
Mr. Ingram: The Ministry of Defence Training areas are used for Close Air Support and Forward Air Control training wherever possible. Private land is also used for training as are sites overseas. We keep the number of sites used for training exercises under constant review.
Dr.
Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for
Defence how many (a) fighter, (b) training, (c)
tanker and
transport, (d) reconnaissance and (e) maritime patrol
aircraft were in service with the Royal Air Force in each year since
1997.
[84805]
Mr. Ingram: The following table gives aircraft numbers that were planned to be in service as at end March of each financial year (FY) shown. All figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.
| Financial Year | Fighter | Training | Tanker and Transport | Reconnaissance | Maritime Patrol Aircraft |
| Notes:
1. Only provisional figures are available for FY 2000-01. 2.
Training numbers include approximately 150 gliders each year.
3. Contracted fleets are not
included. | |||||
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what fleet tankers will be available to support each future aircraft carrier, if the in-service dates for the two new carriers are (a) confirmed as 2012 and 2015, (b) moved to 2015 and 2018 and (c) postponed to 2018 and 2021. [85379]
Mr. Ingram [holding answer 17 July 2006]: Existing Royal Fleet Auxiliary tankers and/or those planned within the Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability programme will support our Future Aircraft Carriers (CVF). As for all projects, the in-service dates for CVF will only be set following the main investment decision and once the dates have been approved by Ministers. As I indicated in my answer on 19 June 2006, Official Report, columns 1579-80W, the main investment decision has not yet been taken.
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of the houses sold to Annington Homes have subsequently been (a) demolished and (b) sold to private buyers (i) in total and (ii) in Colchester. [86335]
Mr. Watson: Under the terms of the 1996 Sale Agreement with Annington Homes Ltd. (AHL), houses for which this Department has no further requirement are handed back to AHL. The Ministry of Defence maintains no records of how such properties are disposed of or developed. As a private company it is entirely a matter for AHL. It is believed that the majority are sold on the open market.
Mr. J Hopkins
1 James Street
London W1U 1DR
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much Annington Homes has paid to the Government for the houses it acquired from the Ministry of Defence (a) in total and (b) for the housing stock at Colchester. [86336]
Mr. Watson: The 1996 sale of 57,428 properties in England and Wales to Annington Homes Ltd raised £1.662 billion for the Exchequer.
Mr. Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the conventions are concerning armed services regular and reserve personnel having contact with hon. Members; and when they were last circulated. [86395]
Mr. Ingram [holding answer 20 July 2006]: Queen's Regulations provide guidance to service personnel regarding contacts with Members of Parliament for example on handling inquiries from Members, visit requests and political activity. Queen's Regulations are publicly available and I have placed copies in the Libraries of the House.
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the Answer of 10 July 2006, Official Report, column 1436W, on injured British servicemen (treatment), how many armed forces personnel in (a) the Army, (b) the RAF and (c) the Royal Navy have been transferred to the NHS for continued medical care as a result of injuries sustained in (i) Iraq since 2003 and (ii) Afghanistan since 2002. [85833]
Des Browne: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 13 July 2006, Official Report, column 1942W, which stated that details of armed forces personnel who have been medically discharged from the armed forces as a result of a condition that can be attributed specifically to service in Iraq or Afghanistan and whose continued medical care has therefore been transferred to the NHS, could be obtained only by a search of the individual medical records of all personnel discharged from the armed forces since the beginning of those Operations. This could be done only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how compensation for service personnel dismissed from the armed forces on the grounds of sexuality is assessed; and if he will make a statement. [87789]
Mr. Watson: The assessment of compensation in cases where service personnel were dismissed from the armed forces on the grounds of sexual orientation depends on the facts and circumstances of each individual case, taking into account detailed schedules of loss from the claimants and the jurisprudence of the ECHR.
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the armed forces who were dismissed on the grounds of their sexuality are yet to receive compensation. [87956]
Mr. Watson: There are 62 claims against the Ministry of Defence from ex-Service personnel who allege that they were dismissed from the armed forces as a result of their sexual orientation that remain to be settled.
Mr. Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which NATO members require their troops to pay income tax when they are on active service. [87913]
Mr. Watson: The Ministry of Defence does not hold the information and it could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Derek Conway: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many chaplains are serving with the (a) Royal Navy and Royal Marines, (b) the Army and (c) the Royal Air Force; how many in each category are (i) Christian, (ii) Jewish, (iii) Muslim, (iv) Hindu, (v) Sikh and (vi) of other religions; and what the total cost was to public funds of providing chaplaincy services in the last year for which figures are available. [87381]
Mr. Watson: There are a total of 376 chaplains serving with the armed forces. The breakdown per service is as follows:
| Number | |
| (1)
There are five chaplains who serve all three services from the
following religions, Muslim, Sikh, Hindu, Buddhist and Jewish. All are
civilian chaplains and do not
deploy. | |
The breakdown by religion is as follows:
| Number | |
| (1)
The Jewish chaplain is an honorary officiating
chaplain. | |
| £ | |
| (1)
The figures are based on capitation rates as at October 2005.
(2) This category includes Buddhist, Hindu (including
Pandits), Sikh, Muslim, and Jewish faiths. It is an estimated cost and
includes travel and subsistence. (3) Estimated costs
of officiating chaplains to the
forces. | |
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 17 July 2006, Official Report, column 209W, on Colombia, what his assessment is of the current level of risk to UK personnel involved in the bespoke counter narcotics training provided to Colombian law enforcement agencies. [88237]
Mr. Ingram: The risk to any personnel associated with counter narcotics activities in Columbia is potentially very high.
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions he has accepted corporate hospitality in the last 12 months. [67527]
Des Browne: Paragraph 5.28 of the ministerial code sets out the rules on the registration of hospitality.
Sir Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the Minister for Veterans will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire of 31 May 2006 (Ref: 03319/2006). [87936]
Mr. Watson: I wrote to the hon. Member on 21 July 2006.
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what budget has been made available to support his Department's Counter-Terrorism Science and Technology Centre at Porton Down for 2006-07. [86928]
Mr. Ingram: Some £5 million has been made available in 2006-07 to support the Department's Counter-Terrorism Science and Technology Centre. Planned consumption of resources in 2006-07 will take into consideration funding already available through MOD's research budget in support of related equipment projects to ensure value for money is achieved. Once fully established it is anticipated that the centre will attract further third party funding from other Government Departments and industry through joint projects.
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether a review of the Defence planning assumptions will be conducted before the forthcoming comprehensive spending review. [87182]
Des Browne: Defence planning assumptions are reviewed as part of the Department’s routine strategic planning cycle. This work is about to begin and is planned to complete in spring 2008.
Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made in the piloting of the operating framework for the Defence Procurement Agency; and if he will make a statement. [86659]
Mr. Ingram: As stated in the Ministry of Defence's response of 7 July 2006 to the House of Commons Defence Committee's report on the Defence Industrial Strategy, the DPA has completed development work regarding the project and programme management element of the operating framework, drawing on industry best practice. This work will form the basis of a wider Acquisition Operating Framework encompassing all of the Department's acquisition business.
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) function is and (b) annual cost in each of the last three years was of the departmental (i) Diversity and Work Balance Team, (ii) Ethnic Monitoring Team, (iii) Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Team, (iv) Disability Steering Committee Team and (v) Gender Panel; whether he has considered the merits of amalgamating these bodies into one unit; and what plans he has for their future. [86167]
Mr. Watson [holding answer 19 July 2006]: The function of the Diversity and Work Life Balance (DWLB) Team is to: ensure the Department complies with, and reports against, the extant and emerging UK and EU legal requirements; develop and support the implementation of associated policy and guidance for the Department’s 100,000 civilians; support the achievement of a work force truly representative of the community it serves; and assist the Department in being an employer of choice through contributing to the development of a contemporary employment framework. The salary and associated costs of the DWLB Team over the past three years is:
| £ | |
Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many carbon dioxide emission permits have been allocated to military establishments; and what the actual emissions were for each military establishment included in the EU Emissions Trading scheme in its first year of operation. [86470]
Mr. Watson: I can confirm 267,428 carbon dioxide emission permits were allocated to military establishments. The following table details how many carbon dioxide emission permits were allocated to each Ministry of Defence establishment, and the level of emissions during the first year (2005-06) of operation of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme.
| Ministry of Defence Site | Annual emission permits | Actual emissions 2005 (tonnes Carbon Dioxide) |
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many staff were recruited by the (a) RAF and (b) Royal Navy in each year since 1997, broken down by personnel type. [85755]
Mr. Watson: Intake from civil life to the United Kingdom Regular Royal Navy and Royal Air Force broken down by Officers and other ranks and branch or trade group is shown in the following tables:
| Naval Service Officer intake from civil life by branch | |||||||||
| 1997-98 | 1998-99 | 1999-2000 | 2000-01 | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | |
| (1
)Queen Alexandra’s Royal Naval Nursing
Service. | |||||||||
| Naval Service ratings intake from civil life by branch | |||||||||
| 1997-98 | 1998-99 | 1999-2000 | 2000-01 | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | |
| RAF Officer intake from civil life by branch | |||||||||
| 1997-98 | 1998-99 | 1999-2000 | 2000-01 | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | |
| (1
)Princess Mary’s Royal Air Force Nursing
Service. | |||||||||
| RAF other ranks intake from civil life by trade group | |||||||||
| 1997-98 | 1998-99 | 1999-2000 | 2000-01 | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | |
| (1)
Zero or rounded to zero. (2
)Provisional. | |||||||||
Figures include re-enlistments and rejoined reservists.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will answer Questions (a) 71152 and (b) 71153, on helicopter fuel tank protection, tabled by the hon. Member for Portsmouth, South for answer on 12 May 2006. [85277]
Mr. Ingram: I replied to the hon. Member on 13 July 2006, Official Report, column 1940W.
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the Armed Forces Pay Review Body report on service medical and dental officers to be published. [87170]
Des Browne: I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial I made today.
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his written statement of 18 July 2006, on the Pattern of Military Low Flying Across the UK 2005-06, when he expects the 2005-06 report to be (a) completed and (b) published. [87728]
Mr. Watson: The Pattern of Military Low Flying Across the United Kingdom 2005-06 is expected to be completed and printed in early August, and will be placed in the Library of the House during the recess. I will write to the hon. Member when that has been done.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in which vehicles British service personnel have been (a) killed and (b) injured as a result of hostile action in (i) Iraq and (ii) Afghanistan in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [81591]
Des Browne: 25 British servicemen have been killed as a result of hostile action while in military vehicles since the start of the conflict in Iraq. Twenty of these were travelling in armoured Land Rovers, two in unarmoured Land Rovers, two in Warrior armoured fighting vehicles and one was travelling in an unarmoured military ambulance. Ten servicemen were also killed by hostile action while flying in a military C-130 aircraft.
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the relative protection afforded from improvised explosive devices by the Tempest Truck, Mine Protected Vehicle and the Force Protection Inc. Cougar joint explosive ordnance disposal rapid response vehicles employed by the US Marine Corps in Iraq. [82530]
Mr. Ingram: The in service Mine Protected Vehicle, which was originally known as Tempest although that name is no longer used, is based on an early version of the Force Protection Inc. Cougar vehicle. There are many variants of the Cougar and different nations modify them to meet their own specifications and roles. We do not comment on the relative protection as to do so would prejudice safety of allies.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many times his ministerial office has been decorated in each of the last five years. [87652]
Mr.
Watson: In 2001 the Ministry of Defence
head office moved from the main building to temporary offices allowing
for the main building PFI redevelopment project to provide a new modern
working environment appropriate to the future business need of the
Department. Some redecoration of the temporary accommodation was
undertaken to prepare it, including for Minister's
offices. In 2004 the Ministry of Defence head office returned to the
main building. There has been no redecoration of ministerial offices
since this
date.
Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects plans for ballistic missile defence for NATO allies to be approved. [86670]
Des Browne: The NATO Missile Defence Feasibility Study was noted by the North Atlantic Council in June 2006. NATO will continue to examine the options for, and implications of, the possible acquisition of territorial Ballistic Missile Defence, but it has made no plans for such acquisition nor set a timetable for a decision.
Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what feasibility studies his Department has carried out on possible sites for ground based interceptors in relation to possible UK involvement in a missile defence shield. [86671]
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what rules apply to the use of mobile telephones and camera telephones on RAF stations; and what the reasons are for such rules. [85308]
Mr. Watson: The use of mobile and camera telephones is governed by defence-wide security policy. A balance has to be drawn between the need to protect the Ministry of Defence information and assets and allowing the greatest possible freedom for the individual. Each RAF Station will have its own specific rules that apply to the use of mobile telephones and camera telephones. These requirements are published to staff and briefed to visitors on arrival.
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the written statement of 17 July 2006, Official Report, column 3WS, on modernising armed forces and veterans personnel administration, what budget has been set aside to carry out the proposed changes. [87093]
Mr. Watson: The bringing together of the Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency and the Veterans Agency will incur modest costs, primarily in senior management time and in any re-badging of the new agency. These costs will be met by existing budgets within the individual agencies and are not significant enough to require a separate budget to be set aside. Any subsequent proposals for investment to improve service quality would be assessed case by case.
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the written statement of 17 July 2006, Official Report, column 3WS, on modernising armed forces and veterans personnel administration, if he will place in the Library a copy of the (a) study and (b) consultation document. [87094]
Mr. Watson: Yes. I will place the information requested in the Library of the House.
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his Answer of 12 July 2006, Official Report, column 1884W, on welfare services, whether Nell McAndrew will be remunerated for her work on the confidential support line campaign with the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association. [87172]
Mr. Watson: That is a matter between the Association and Nell McAndrew. We remain greatly appreciative of the support she gives to our armed forces.
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish a disaggregation by function and location of the £9,753,827,000 undiscounted costs of nuclear liabilities, set out at page 220 of his Department's Annual Report and Accounts for 2005-06, HC1394, for which his Department is responsible; and if he will publish the advice provided to his Department by NIREX to which the Report makes reference. [86925]
Des Browne: A disaggregation by function and location of the £9,753,827,000 undiscounted costs of nuclear liabilities, stated in the Department's Annual Report and Accounts for 2005-06, is as follows:
£3,394,744,000—Costs associated with decommissioning, care and maintenance of redundant facilities (the conditioning, retrieval and storage of contaminated materials); research and development; and the procurement of capital facilities to handle the various waste streams.
Location: AWE Sites, Berkshire.
£2,132,782,000—Decontamination and decommissioning of Naval Test Reactor and waste disposal.
Location: Dounreay.
£1,052,580,000—Costs associated with the research, development and construction of the NIREX Deep Waste Repository.
Location: Not yet known.
£934,659,000—Storage of nuclear materials.
Locations: Springfields, Capenhurst and Sellafield.
£909,892,000—Nuclear Propulsion decontamination and decommissioning liabilities at various sites which conduct nuclear submarine decommissioning work on behalf of MOD.
Locations: Sellafield, Derby and mobile support equipment.
£504,144,000—Berthing and decommissioning of out of service submarines.
Locations: Rosyth and Devonport.
£332,835,000—Decommissioning of current in-service submarines.
Location: Rosyth and Devonport.
£177,259,000—Sundry provisions, the bulk of which is in respect of costs of storage of low level waste.
Location: Sellafield.
£146,401,000—Dismantlement of Warheads.
Location: AWE Sites, Berkshire.
£119,168,000—Decommissioning of nuclear submarine refit and refuelling facilities.
Location: Devonport Dockyard.
£32,299,000—Nuclear Decommissioning and Decontamination of Rosyth Dockyard on completion of the final Nuclear Submarine Project contract.
Location: Rosyth.
£10,627,000—Decommissioning and disposal of the Neptune Test Reactor.
Location: Derby.
£4,030,000—Disposal of Support Equipment which contains depleted uranium.
Location: Rosyth and Devonport.
£2,207,000—Decommissioning of a facility that processes radiological submarine effluent at HM Naval Base Clyde which is being superseded by a new Radiological Processing Facility.
Location: HM Naval Base Clyde.
£200,000—Decontamination related to low-level and small quantities of nuclear materials used in educational laboratories at the Defence Academy.
Location: Shrivenham.
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to paragraph 64 of his Department's Annual Report and Accounts for 2005-06, HC 1394, which international legal obligations would have to be met by the United Kingdom if it was decided to use its nuclear weapons. [86930]
Des Browne: The UK would consider using nuclear weapons only in extreme circumstances of self-defence and in accordance with our international legal obligations, including those relating to the conduct of armed conflict.
Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the cost of awarding war pensions to all nuclear test veterans suffering from radiation linked disease. [86069]
Mr.
Watson: All nuclear test veterans are eligible to claim,
under the terms of the war pension scheme, for any disablement causally
linked to service rather than for specific conditions or diseases. A
war pension is also paid whenever the claimant can raise reasonable
doubt, by providing reliable evidence, that the claimed disablement is
causally linked to service. The War Pensions Scheme considers
disablement from radiation linked disease, to include such conditions
as certain
thyroid and parathyroid diseases, cataracts and malignant disease and
cancer. Cancers due to ionising radiation are clinically
indistinguishable from those due to any other cause which are common in
a population increasing with age. Based on the findings of National
Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) reports it is war pensions policy
that entitlement is given to any type of leukaemia, other than chronic
lymphatic with onset, within 25 years of participation at a nuclear
test.
Mr. Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the inventory of nuclear waste created from all the nuclear weapons programmes in the UK, including the submarine fleet; when the inventory was last updated; and what his plans are for updating the inventory. [87384]
Mr. Ingram: The United Kingdom Radioactive Waste Inventory, published periodically by NIREX and DEFRA, contains details of nuclear waste arising from the Defence programme. An electronic copy of the most recent inventory was published on 19 January 2006 and is available in the Library of the House.
Mr. Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has a list of radioactive materials that are not included in the inventory of nuclear waste from nuclear weapons programmes. [87385]
Mr. Ingram: All radioactive materials employed in, or arising from, the nuclear weapons programme are either recorded in the United Kingdom Radioactive Waste Inventory or accounted for separately in accordance with statutory requirements.
Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress his Department has made on (a) the launch of the Pathfinder programme teams and (b) scoping of Pathfinder programmes on through-life capability management. [86658]
Mr. Ingram: The two Pathfinder programmes—Sustained Surface Combatant Capability and Sustained Armoured Vehicle Capability—bring together representatives from the Ministry of Defence and industry to pilot new approaches to acquisition on a through-life capability basis. Team members were identified in consultation with industry. Both teams are established and are making good progress. A Pathfinder ‘Industry Day’ is being held on 28 July.
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many privately owned pieces of land are used by the RAF around Ledbury, Herefordshire. [85229]
Mr. Watson: No privately-owned pieces of land have been used by the RAF around Ledbury, Herefordshire.
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what private land was used for close air support operations and forward air control exercises in the last three years; in what counties the land used was located; and whether rent was paid for the use of the land. [85234]
Mr. Watson: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much was paid to land owners in Herefordshire for the use of their property for RAF exercises in each of the last three years. [85238]
Mr. Watson: No money has been paid to land owners in Herefordshire for use of their property in RAF exercises in the last three years.
Mr. Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library the studies of the demobilisation surveys for reserve forces completing operational engagements for the last five years. [85487]
Mr. Watson: We are considering whether the documents can be released in full or in part. This will require scrutiny of a considerable amount of information contained within five main reports and three follow-up reports. Once this process is complete, I will write to the hon. Member and, if appropriate, place copies of the report in the Library of the House.
Mr. Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library the studies of terminal surveys for members of reserve forces leaving the reserve forces for the last five years. [85488]
Mr. Watson: The armed forces do not currently carry out terminal surveys for members of the reserve forces. But we do conduct a larger number of focused surveys on reserves; for example a continuous attitude survey on the TA and a copy of this survey of Annex is in the Library of the House.
Mr. Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the manning totals were (a) in 2005-06 and (b) in the most recent period for which figures are available of (i) men and (ii) women for (A) officers and (B) other ranks in each of the reserve forces, breaking down (1) the Territorial Army by area and corps and (2) (x) the Royal Navy Reserve and (y) the Royal Auxiliary Air Force by functional category. [85503]
Mr. Watson [holding answer14 July 2006]: Available information on the number of male and female officers and other ranks in the Territorial Army and the Royal Auxiliary Air Force is given in the following tables:
| Territorial Army personnel( 1) as at 1 April 2005 | ||||||
| Number | ||||||
| Male | Officers female | Total | Male | Other ranks female | Total | |
| (1)
Figures include Mobilised TA personnel and University Officer Training
Corps but exclude Non Regular Permanent Staff and Full Time Reserve
Service personnel. Source: DASA
(Army) | ||||||
| Territorial Army personnel( 1) as at 1 April 2006 | ||||||
| Number | ||||||
| Male | Officers female | Total | Male | Other ranks female | Total | |
| (1)
Figures include Mobilised TA personnel and University Officer Training
Corps but exclude Non Regular Permanent Staff and Full Time Reserve
Service personnel. Source: DASA
(Army) | ||||||
| Royal Auxiliary Air Force strength by gender | ||
| Number | ||
| 1 April 2005 | 1 April 2006 | |
| Source:
DASA (Air) | ||
| Royal Auxiliary Air Force officers | ||
| Number | ||
| 1 April 2005 | 1 April 2006 | |
| Source:
DASA
(Air) | ||
| Royal Auxiliary Air Force other ranks | ||
| Number | ||
| 1 April 2005 | 1 April 2006 | |
Aerospace Manager Operator/Senior Non Commissioned Officer Fighter Controller | ||
| ‘—’
denotes zero or rounded to zero. Note: All
figures have been rounded to the nearest 10. Due to the rounding
methods used, figures may not always equal the sum of the parts. When
rounding to the nearest 10, numbers ending in 5 have been rounded to
the nearest multiple of 20 to prevent systematic bias.
Source: DASA
(Air) | ||
| Royal Navy Reserves as at 31 March 2005 | ||||||
| Number | ||||||
| Male | Officers female | Total | Male | Other ranks female | Total | |
| Source:
RNR
database | ||||||
| Royal Navy Reserves as at 31 March 2006 | ||||||
| Number | ||||||
| Male | Officers female | Total | Male | Other ranks female | Total | |
| Source:
RNR
database | ||||||
Mr. Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will take steps to compensate and support small and medium-sized enterprises with key members of staff serving as called up reservists fulfilling long-term postings; and if he will make a statement. [87914]
Mr. Watson: The Reserve Forces Act 1996 allows payments to Reservists and/or their employers when the former are called out into permanent service. The detailed regulations are set out in a Statutory Instrument (SI 859), which came into force in April 2005.
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many ships from the Royal Fleet Auxiliary have been cannibalised in the past 12 months. [86998]
Mr. Ingram: Over the past 12 months, eight ships of the RFA have had items of equipment removed for installation in other ships. This process is normally used to meet high priority operational commitments and where the items in demand are not readily available from normal sources. Equipment is then refitted to donor ships when it becomes available.
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many ships from the Royal Fleet Auxiliary can be deployed. [86999]
Mr. Ingram: All RFA ships currently in service are deployable within the timescales set down in the current Fleet Readiness Profile.
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the average number of separated service days was in the last recorded 30 day month rolling period for the Regular army (a) infantry, (b) Royal Artillery, (c) Royal Engineers, (d) Royal Corps of Signals, (e) Royal Armoured Corps, (f) Household Cavalry, (g) Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers and (h) Army Medical Services. [87022]
Mr. Watson: The information is listed in the following table.
| Average number of days spent on separated service by Arm/Service over 30 months using figures recorded at 1 January 2006 | |
| Arm/Service | Number |
| Notes:
1. Army Medical Services include the Royal Army Medical Corps, Royal
Army Dental Corps, Royal Army Veterinary Corps and the Queen
Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps. 2. Figures are based on
personnel on separated service, at any time from 1 July 2003 to 31
December 2005 inclusive. 3. Figures are for United Kingdom
trained army personnel only and therefore exclude full-time reserve
service personnel, Gurkhas, The Home Service Battalions of the Royal
Irish Regiment and Mobilised
Reservists. | |
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) average, (b) highest and (c) lowest number of days of separated service over the last three-year period for which figures are available was for each of the Royal Navy pinch point trades identified in his Department's annual report and accounts 2005-06. [87034]
Mr. Ingram: For the pinch points in question, separated service has only been centrally recorded since April 2004. Data is available up to the end of March 2006. The average, highest and lowest number of days of separated service recorded over this period are:
| Pinch point | Recorded separated service | ||
| Average | Highest | Lowest | |
Air Engineering Technicians (including Mechanics and Artificers) | |||
| Notes:
1. Figures are given for those serving on the trained strength at 1
April 2006. 2. For Nuclear Watchkeepers, the population has
been taken as Marine Engineering Artificers at Petty Officer, Chief
Petty Officer and Warrant Officer 2. 3. The Navy is currently
restructuring the Air Engineering branch from the current
Artificer/Mechanic career streams to a single Technician stream. For
this reason, combined figures are given for these career
streams. 4. Royal Marines figures exclude the band
service. 5. The Navy harmony guideline for separated service
is a maximum of 660 days over a 36 month period. 6. Although
days spent on hospitalisation, annual leave and adventurous training
are recorded by the separated service system, they do not count towards
the 660 days target and are not included in the above
figures. | |||
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many spare parts were (a) available and (b) required for Army Air Corps (i) Apache, (ii) Lynx and (iii) Gazelle helicopter fleets in the past 12 months. [87000]
Mr. Ingram: This information is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many spare parts were (a) available and (b) required for the Royal Navy (i) destroyer, (ii) frigate, (iii) mine counter vessel, (iv) patrol vessel, (v) Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessel and (vi) submarine fleet in the past 12 months. [87001]
Mr. Ingram: Naval spares support is managed on a whole Fleet basis, not by class of vessel. Customers include ships, shore establishments and other services. Stock levels are set to optimise support to all customers and performance is recorded on a monthly basis. As a result, the information is not available in the format requested. Each ship has an on board allowance of spares designed to support self-sustainability for 90 days.
Mr. Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what role is played by special advisers in answering parliamentary questions asked of his Department. [80648]
Mr. Watson: Special advisers conduct themselves in accordance with the requirements of the code of conduct for special advisers.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what occasions a statutory instrument sponsored by his Department has been reported by the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments as defective since October 2005. [85184]
Mr. Watson: The Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments has reported two statutory instruments sponsored by the Ministry of Defence for defective drafting since October 2005.
Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress he has made on the establishment of a unified submarine programme management organisation within the Department; and if he will make a statement. [86665]
Des Browne: Since April 2006 submarine programme management within MOD has been unified under Director General Nuclear, who is responsible for managing delivery of the submarine programme from concept to disposal. Recent efforts have concentrated on the development of processes to support governance of the new organisation.
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the sustainability principles set out at paragraph 77 of his Department's Annual Report and Accounts for 2005-06, HC 1394, are applied by British forces deployed in (a) Afghanistan and (b) Iraq. [86931]
Des Browne: British armed forces deployed overseas apply United Kingdom policies and standards on sustainable development where reasonably practicable. In addition, we comply with relevant host nations' standards.
Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to be in a position to announce the final payment to Swan Hunter following the termination of the contract for the Landings Ship Dock (Auxiliary) with that shipyard. [87049]
Mr. Ingram: Final payment to Swan Hunter will be made once all of the obligations of the settlement agreed with the company have been met.
Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Tavern armoured vehicles are owned by the Ministry of Defence; and how many such vehicles are located in (a) Northern Ireland, (b) Iraq, (c) Afghanistan and (d) the UK. [87041]
Mr. Ingram: The Ministry of Defence currently has 96 Tavern vehicles located in Northern Ireland and eight in UK. None is deployed in Iraq or Afghanistan.
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 10 July 2006, Official Report, column 1442W, on Territorial Army (Records), (1) what the reason is for the time taken to reply to the question; [85119]
Mr. Watson: The Reserve Training and Mobilisation Centre has no authority over the posting process and therefore will not routinely know if an individual is subsequently posted to a different unit. This is the responsibility of the Integrated Mobilisation Cell who decide where members of the Territorial Army are to be posted, and the Army Personnel Centre who issue the posting order and update the individual's Record of Service.
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what the average tour interval of the (a) Corps of Royal Engineers, (b) Royal Corps of Signals, (c) Royal Logistic Corps and (d) Royal Electric and Mechanical Engineers has been over the last five years; [57473]
Mr. Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 7 March 2006, Official Report, column 1283W, for the information relating to the Royal Engineers, Royal Corps of Signals and Royal Logistic Corps.
| Regiment | 1 February to 31 December 2001 | 1 January to 31 December 2002 | 1 January to 31 December 2003 |
| Regiment | 1 January to 31 December 2004 | 1 January to 31 December 2005 | 31 December 2005 to 1 July 2006 |
| (1)
Indicates the same
tour | |||
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what the (a) actual gains to trained strength and (b) total target gains to trained strength are for each of the Royal Navy pinch point trades identified in his Department’s annual report and accounts 2005-06; [87037]
Mr. Watson: It will take a few weeks to validate the requested information to ensure accuracy and consistency. I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House when this is completed.
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what expenditure there has been on preparatory (a) studies and (b) infrastructure development on a replacement for the Trident nuclear system. [86947]
Des Browne: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 18 July 2006, Official Report, column 350W, to the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws).
Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the budget is for the UK Missile Defence Centre for each of the next three years. [86668]
Des Browne: The UK Missile Defence Centre was founded on 18 July 2003 with a six-year mandate. It has just begun its fourth year with an approved budget of £5.7 million, the provisional budget allocation for each of the final two years is £5 million.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence under what circumstances weapons are provided to (a) UK and (b) other civilians in (i) Iraq and (ii) Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement. [85301]
Des Browne: The Ministry of Defence does not provide weapons to its civilian employees deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan.
David Simpson: To ask the Solicitor-General pursuant to the answer of 17 July 2006, Official Report, column 12W, on the Environment and Heritage Service, what steps he takes to ensure cost-effectiveness of court cases brought on behalf of the Environment and Heritage Service. [87339]
The Solicitor-General: The Public Prosecution Service conducts all cases it prosecutes, including those on behalf of the Environment and Heritage Service, in accordance with the Test for Prosecution. That test is whether there is sufficient available evidence to afford a reasonable prospect of conviction and, if so, whether it is in the public interest to prosecute. If the evidential aspect of the test is met, there is a strong presumption that prosecution is in the public interest; the more serious the offence, or its consequences, the stronger the presumption. The cost of bringing a prosecution does not weigh in that consideration. The PPS may take into account, in assessing the public interest, of whether the offence is of such a nature that it is likely that the court will impose only a very small or nominal penalty.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Solicitor-General if he will list the offences which may be prosecuted only with the consent of (a) the Solicitor-General and (b) the Director of Public Prosecutions. [87111]
The Solicitor-General: By statute, certain offences require the consent of the Attorney-General or the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in order for there to be a prosecution. The Law Officers Act 1997, section 1, provides that any function of the Attorney-General (which includes therefore the granting of consent to prosecute) may be exercised by the Solicitor-General.
David Simpson: To ask the Solicitor-General on how many occasions he has visited each region in an official capacity in the last 12 months. [84008]
The Solicitor-General: Since June 2006 I have made six visits to the regions. These consisted of three visits to the South East, two visits to the North West and one visit to Yorkshire and the Humber. In addition I have made two visits to Northern Ireland.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Solicitor-General how many parliamentary questions tabled to his Department were awaiting a reply on 10 July 2006; which of those had been waiting longer than (a) two and (b) three weeks for a reply; and what the reason for the delay was in each case. [85194]
The Solicitor-General: At the time that this question was asked there were 18 parliamentary questions awaiting an answer. There were two that had been waiting for two weeks and four that had been waiting for three weeks for a substantive answer. All six of these questions have now been answered.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Solicitor-General how many public appointments are within the patronage of the Law Officers; what (a) salary and (b) other emoluments are attached to each; and what the comparable figures were in (i) 1976, (ii) 1986 and (iii) 1996. [83171]
Mr. Amess: To ask the Solicitor-General on what occasions a statutory instrument sponsored by his Department has been reported by the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments as defective since October 2005. [85176]
Lorely Burt: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what plans the Government have to tackle homophobic bullying in (a) schools and (b) the community. [88193]
Meg Munn: The Government plan to introduce regulations later this year under part 3 of the Equality Act 2006 to prohibit sexual orientation discrimination in the provision of goods, facilities, services, education and public functions. These measures will empower individuals to challenge unacceptable prejudice in their every day lives and will reinforce and support the work already being done in many communities by police forces and other bodies to confront and tackle homophobic bullying.
Mr.
Dismore: To ask the hon.
Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission if
the Commission will review the rules governing the use by hon. Members
of House (a) accommodation, (b) telephones and (c)
stationery with a view to tightening
the restrictions on their use for party political purposes.
[86108]
Nick Harvey: Facilities provided for individualhon. Members under the House of Commons: administration estimate, for which the Commission is responsible, are intended for use in connection with their parliamentary and public business. The rules governing their use are kept under review by the House authorities in the light of circumstances, and also in the event of specific complaints alleging abuse. Failure to observe the rules on the use of parliamentary facilities may be a breach of the code of conduct.
Mr. Dismore: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission pursuant to the answer of 17 July 2006, Official Report, columns 8-9W, on senior staff appointments, if the Commission will take steps to ensure that in futurethe appointments to the three senior posts are made by the House. [87139]
Nick Harvey: These appointments are made by the Crown. Changes would be necessary in legislation for the appointments to be made by the House. The Commission has no plans to seek such changes.
Mr. Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans she has to measure the impact of arm's length management organisations on tenant satisfaction. [83373]
Yvette
Cooper: Tenant satisfaction is one of the best value
performance indicators used to measure
performance by local authorities. To date there is only data available
to cover the first two years of operation for the first eight ALMOs. As
soon as sufficient data is available we will be able to assess the
impact of ALMOs on tenant satisfaction more
generally.
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much in (a) rate support grants, (b) business rates and (c) special grants the Government paid to City of York council in each year since its creation as a unitary authority (i) in cash terms and (ii) at current prices; how much will be paid in each category in 2006-07; and what the purpose was of each special grant of £50,000 or more. [86526]
Mr. Woolas: The following table shows the amount of revenue support grant, redistributed business rates and specific and special grants allocated to the City of York council in the period 1996-97 to 2006-07.
| £ million | ||||||
| Revenue Support Grant | Redistributed Business Rates | Specific and Special Grants within Aggregate External Finance (AEF) | ||||
| Cash terms | Current prices | Cash terms | Current prices | Cash terms | Current prices | |
The current prices have been calculated using the GDP deflator as the measure of inflation.
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when the chair of the Commission for Equality and Human Rights will be appointed; and if she will make a statement. [86742]
Meg Munn [holding answer 20 July 2006]: I anticipate that the chair of the Commission for Equality and Human Rights will be appointed during the summer period.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 10 July 2006, Official Report, columns 1538-42W, on consultancies, if she will place in the Library a copy of document 5, the MORI Survey of Government Office for the South East partners. [86910]
Angela E. Smith: The requested document will be made available in the Libraries of the House.
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) what arethe principal purposes of the Contaminated Land: Application in Real Environments scheme; how much public funding the scheme will receive in 2006-07; when its current grant expires; and by what process future public funding levels will be determined; [86426]
Mr. Bradshaw: I have been asked to reply.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of the Greater London population paid council tax in the last year for which figures are available; and what percentage qualified for discounts. [87115]
Mr. Woolas: The number of chargeable dwellings liable for council tax in Greater London as at November 2005 was 3,108,000 of which 1,281,000 dwellings (41.2 per cent.) were entitled to a discount.
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much council tax was raised in the last year for which figures are available. [87156]
Mr. Woolas: The council tax received by local authorities in England in 2005-06 was £18,419 million. This figure excludes amounts funded by council tax benefit and includes both arrears received for previous years and prepayment of council tax for subsequent years.
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the cost was of administering the council tax system in the latest year for which figures are available. [87158]
Mr. Woolas: Net current expenditure on administering the council tax system for 2004-05 by local authorities in England is tabled as follows.
| £ million | |
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will place in the Library copies of the Valuation Office Agency’s council tax people’s panel reports and summaries from the last 24 months. [87348]
Mr. Woolas: The results from the Valuation Office Agency’s council tax people’s panels, for the now postponed council tax revaluation in England, are for input to the formulation and development of Government policy and it is not therefore appropriate to place these in the public domain.
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans the Government have for (a) a single property account and (b) a single citizen account as part of its e-government and Government Connects programme. [88058]
Mr. Woolas: The Government recognise the strategic importance of (a) a single property account and issued an outline prospectus entitled “Towards the National Spatial Addressing Infrastructure” for public consultation in May last year, containing technical details and governance structures. Discussions with stakeholders regarding this initiative are currently ongoing.
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what funding was provided to local authorities for Implementing Electronic Government in each year since its introduction; and how much has been allocated for (a) 2006-07 and (b) 2007-08. [88070]
Mr. Woolas: Local authorities in England were allocated the following capital grant for Implementing Electronic Government:
| Capital grant (£) | |
Mr. Wills: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many vacant homes there are in (a) England and (b) Swindon. [86631]
Yvette Cooper: The information is as follows:
At October 2005 there were an estimated 723,194 vacant homes in England.
At October 2005 Swindon district council reported a total of 2,374 vacant homes.
Source:
Council Tax Base 1 (CTB1) returns.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps her Department has taken to support local authorities becoming designated as fair trade councils. [87523]
Mr. Woolas: Local authorities are responsible for taking their own procurement decisions subject to the requirements of Best Value Legislation and to the EU/UK regulatory framework. Fair trade options have to be considered by local authorities within this framework.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many malicious false fire alarms were attended by the fire and rescue service in (a) each London borough and (b) constituency since 2004-05. [86813]
Angela E. Smith: Information provided by the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA) is shown in the following tables:
| Malicious false fire alarms attended by London borough | ||
| 2004-05 | 2005-06 | |
| Malicious false fire alarms attended by constituency | ||
| 2004-05 | 2005-06 | |
| Note: Data supplied by LFEPA. | ||
Judy Mallaber: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what arrangements are in place to (a) monitor the progress of the roll out of regional fire control centres and (b) ensure all functions and duties currently undertaken by fire control centres are covered in the new structure. [86044]
Angela E. Smith: The FiReControl project is managed in line with the principles of PRINCE2 methodology and Office of Government Commerce (OGC) best practice.
www.firecontrol.communities.gov.uk
Judy Mallaber: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what response she has made to the Fire Brigade Union document Regional Control: national resilience. [86045]
Angela E. Smith: The Fire Brigade Union sent a copy of their document “Regional Control: national resilience” to the Deputy Prime Minister and requested a meeting. The Deputy Prime Minister met with the Fire Brigade Union Secretary on the 7 February 2006 to discuss their proposals, amongst other things.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the location is of each fire local control room in England, broken down by region; and how many people are employed at each. [86782]
Angela E. Smith: The information requested is tabulated as follows:
| Staff in post on 31 March 2005 (all persons having a fire control role) | |
| Region | Staff (full-time equivalents) |
| (1)
2004
figure. Source: Fire and Rescue Service returns to DCLG. | |
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many incidents (a) Merseyside Fire Service and (b) fire services in England experienced where booby-traps had been left to injure firemen in the course of carrying out their duties in each year for which figures are available. [88206]
Angela E. Smith: The information requested is not held centrally.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many outbreaks of fire were recorded in each London borough in each of the last five years. [86797]
Angela E. Smith: Information provided by the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA) is tabulated as follows.
| Fires attended in each London borough, 2001-02 to 2005-06 | |||||
| 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | |
| Note: Data supplied by LFEPA, and include both primary and secondary fires. | |||||
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many (a) primary and (b) secondary fires there were in England in each year since 1981; and how many dwelling fires there were in England in each year since 1976. [86803]
Angela E. Smith: The information requested is tabulated as follows:
| Primary, dwelling and secondary fires attended by fire and rescue services, England: 1976 to 2004 | |||
| Thousand | |||
| Total primary fires | Dwelling fires | Secondary fires | |
| Notes: 1. Data collection methods have varied over time, so categories may not be consistent throughout the period. 2. Data includes estimates for incidents not recorded in November 2002 and January and February 2003 during industrial action. Source: Fire and Rescue Service returns to DCLG. | |||
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many deliberate (a) vehicle fires and (b) fires there were in each London borough in each of the last five years. [86836]
Angela E. Smith: Information provided by the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA) is showing in the following tables:
| Deliberate vehicle fires attended by London Fire Brigade by borough | |||||
| 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | |
| Deliberate fires attended by London Fire Brigade by borough | |||||
| 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | |
| Note: Data supplied by LFEPA, and includes both primary and secondary fires. | |||||
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many large outbreaks of fire there were in each fire authority in each of the last 10 years. [87181]
Angela E. Smith: The information requested is in the following table.
| Fires( 1, 2) attended by five or more pumping appliances by FRS area, England: 1995-2004 | ||||||||||
| Number | ||||||||||
| FRS area | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 |
| (1)
Including additional late call and heat and smoke damage incidents (not
recorded prior to
1994). (2) Excluding incidents not recorded during periods of industrial action in 2002 and 2003. Note: Figures are based on sampled data grossed to fire and rescue service totals. Source: Fire and rescue service returns to DCLG | ||||||||||
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the level of provision was during the recent Hertfordshire fire strike for interim fire and rescue cover (a) to tackle fire and (b) to assist with road accidents. [88074]
Angela E. Smith: Hertfordshire experienced three individual periods of strike action, on 20, 26 and31 May 2006, each lasting for eight hours. The level of fire and rescue cover varied from 11 up to 16 pumping appliances, plus a specialist rescue vehicle. All pumping appliances had capability for both firefighting and road traffic accidents. The specialist rescue vehicle was for road traffic accidents. It was in service for the first two periods of strike action, but not for the last period, when the skills were available in other crews.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans the Government have to ensure inter-operability and improve communications between the fire service and the other emergency services. [86977]
Angela E. Smith: The Firelink project, providing updated wide area radio communications to the fire and rescue service, will roll out from this autumn through until 2009. Firelink will provide inter-operability with police and ambulance services at strategic and tactical command levels.
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many golf courses were registered on the Ratings List for business rates in England in the most recent year for which figures are available. [88077]
Mr. Woolas: The number of properties described as a golf course in the 2005 Rating List for England, at31 January 2006, is 1,786.
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how she defines inappropriate development with regard to Green Belt policy. [87744]
Yvette Cooper: In deciding whether a development is inappropriate in the Green Belt the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government is guided by Planning Policy Guidance note 2 (PPG2), Green Belts.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what powers are available to local authorities to deal with nuisance caused by horses (a) roaming wild in urban areas and (b) tethered on (i) public and (ii) private open space; and if she will make a statement. [85305]
Barry Gardiner: I have been asked to reply.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the average price of a home was in each London borough in each of the last five years. [82898]
Yvette Cooper: Average house prices for London boroughs and local authority districts from 1996 based on data from the Land Registry are published in Table 585 on the Department for Communities and Local Government website at: http://www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=l156110
Ann Keen: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding has been allocated to the London borough of Hounslow for the upgrading and repairs of council housing stock to meet the decent homes standard since 1997. [84430]
Yvette Cooper: Capital investment by the London borough of Hounslow since 1997 via the housing revenue account system is set as follows. ALMO allowances are included in these figures.
| £ million | |
Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much has been allocated by English Partnerships to housing renewal in the West End of Morecambe under the West End Masterplan. [85033]
Yvette Cooper: Under the West End Masterplan for the renewal of the West End of Morecombe, English Partnerships have approved an investment of £8.6 million of which £4.5 million has been spent on land assembly and masterplanning works.
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what use (a) her Department and (b) local authorities make of Intelligent Addressing in geographical information systems. [88069]
Angela E. Smith: The Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has a development and demonstration licence with the Improvement and Development Agency to use the National Land and Property Gazetteer (NLPG) data produced under contract by Intelligent Addressing. NLPG data supports the National Register of Social Housing data collection. DCLG has previously used Intelligent Addressing directly as a contractor to perform address matching.
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many hectares of land were classified as (a) urban and (b) suburban in each year since 1990, broken down by region. [84057]
Yvette Cooper: From the Department's statistics for Urban Settlements, the amounts of urban land in England were as follows:
| Hectares | ||
| 1991 | 2001 | |
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment her Department has made of the likely effects of introducing a land value tax. [88087]
Mr. Woolas: The Department for Communities and Local Government has not made any assessment of the likely effects of introducing a land value tax.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many staff were employed by each London borough in each year since 1997. [87277]
Mr. Woolas: The Department for Communities and Local Government does not collect this information.
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate she has made of the cost to local authorities of complying with BS 7799 on information security. [88065]
Mr.
Woolas: As part of the Implementing Electronic Government
return process, local authorities were asked to provide information on
compliance with BS 7799 on information security management, as an
advisory good practice outcome relating to the internal organisation
and management practices of the council that are required to help
deliver the people, systemsand service management changes
necessary for e-government. No specific estimate of the costs of BS
7799 compliance has been made, as this outcome is advisory in status
only. However, every local authority in England has been allocated
£900,000 in capital grant up to help in Implementing Electronic
Government up to the end of
2005-06.
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the contact administration address is for each pension scheme within the Local Government Pension Scheme. [88066]
Mr. Woolas: The information requested has been placed in the Library of the House.
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government why the Audit Commission will not be reporting on Best Value Performance Indicator 199d for 2005-06. [88068]
Mr. Woolas: Best Value Performance Indicator 199d measures the year-on-year reduction in the numberof incidents and the increase in the number of enforcement actions taken to deal with fly-tipping. The indicator was introduced in 2005-06. It will not be possible to publish data showing year-on-year changes until the indicator has been in place for two years.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much was given to each London borough per person in the Local Government Finance Settlement in each year since 1997. [87322]
Mr. Woolas: The table shows formula grant per head for each London borough for 1997-99 to 2006-07. Formula grant comprises Revenue Support Grant, redistributed business rates and principal formula Police Grant.
| Formula Grant per head | |||||
| £ per head | |||||
| Authority | 1997-98 | 1998-99 | 1999-2000 | 2000-01 | 2001-02 |
| £ per head | |||||
| Authority | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 |
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much extra funding the Government plan to provide to the Greater London Authority to finance the new responsibilities of the London Mayor. [86781]
Mr. Woolas: In line with our policy of meeting net new burdens costs, the Government are committed to meeting reasonable net additional costs falling on the GLA as a result of its new responsibilities.
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance her Department has issued to local authorities on applications for mineral extraction operations in areas of outstanding natural beauty. [88345]
Meg Munn: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today.
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) what assessment her Department has made of the impact of quarries on (a) residential areas and (b) areas of outstanding natural beauty; [87249]
Meg Munn: Planning guidance to local authorities on planning applications in areas of outstanding natural beauty (AONBs) is set out in Planning Policy Statement (PPS)7 Sustainable Development in Rural Areas. PPS7 states that AONBs have been confirmed by the Government have having the highest standards of protection in relation to landscape and scenic beauty. Major developments (including mineral working) should not take place in these areas except in exceptional circumstances and applications for such developments should be subject to the most rigorous examination. Major development proposals should be demonstrated to be in the public interest before being allowed to proceed and will need to be assessed against the criteria set out in paragraph 22 of PPS7. However, it will be for local planning authorities to decide on a case by case basis whether exceptional circumstances exist which would allow them to grant planning permission for a minerals development in an AONB.
Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will visit Kettering to attend a public meeting to discuss her Department's housing expansion plans for Northamptonshire. [82864]
Yvette Cooper [holding answer 6 July 2006]: We consider that Kettering plays an important part in the growth proposals for North Northamptonshire. We are kept regularly updated on development of the plans to take these forward and I chair the regular Milton Keynes and South Midlands Inter Regional Board. In addition, officials are closely involved with the borough council and other partners in bringing forward housing, growth and other agendas. There have already been a number of ministerial visits to North Northamptonshire and more are planned. DCLG Ministers are more than happy to discuss housing development in Kettering with key partners during future visits to Northamptonshire.
Mr. Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what research she has commissioned on the insulating qualities of multi-foil insulation products. [86744]
Angela E. Smith: The Department for Communities and Local Government commissioned the Building Research Establishment to provide ‘The thermal performance of multi-foil insulation’ a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.
Mr. Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance her Department has issued to building control officers regarding the use of multi-foil insulation products. [86749]
Angela E. Smith: The Department for Communities and Local Government issued guidance to building control officers in England and Wales on 19 June, following its circular letter on 30 March in which we mentioned UKAS accreditation. We have since understood that UKAS accreditation was not possible since there was no adopted test method. So the Department wrote to LABC Services and the Association of Consultant Approved Inspectors on 19 June and referred them instead to the Approved Documents for Part L, Conservation of Fuel and Power, and Regulation 7 which sets out ways for assessing fitness for purpose for materials.
Mr. Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how multi-foil insulation products are treated under Approved Document L of the Building Regulations. [86760]
Angela E. Smith: Part L of the Building Regulations and its associated Approved Documents do not refer to multi-foil insulation or any other type of insulation product. The Approved Documents indicate that the methods for calculating thermal performance and establishing the thermal properties of insulation materials must be as described in BR443 “Conventions for U-value calculations”.
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the Audit Commission plans to undertake a formal audit of the probity and efficiency of public expenditure on the National Land and Property Gazetteer. [88083]
Mr. Woolas: This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission. The Chief Executive of the Audit Commission has written to the hon. Member and a copy of the letter has been placed in the Library of the House.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the National Land Information Service; and if she will make a statement. [85701]
Mr. Woolas: The National Land Information Service is a community interest company, and the Government do not therefore have any formal role in assessing its effectiveness.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what stock was transferred from the Government wine cellar to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in 2005-06. [85708]
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what payments the Valuation Office Agency makes to Ordnance Survey (OS) outside the pan-government OS agreement for access to the imagery and photographic data that OS holds. [87350]
Mr. Woolas: The Valuation Office Agency does not take any imagery or photographic data from Ordnance Survey and consequently makes no payment for such.
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what measures exist in Pathways to Work to assist individuals who may be continuously in and out of work due to (a) multiple sclerosis and (b) other long-term and fluctuating medical conditions. [85292]
Mr. Jim Murphy: I have been asked to reply.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many planning enforcement notices were issued in each London borough in each year since 1997. [87278]
Meg Munn: The number of planning enforcement notices issued in each London borough in each year since 1997 is presented in the following table:
| Formal enforcement notices issued by London borough councils 1997 to 2005 | |||||||||
| Council name | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 |
| n/a
= Not
available. (1) These councils included areas within London Dockland Development Corporation, however the statistics exclude enforcement within the LDDC. The LDDC served no enforcement notice during 1997 or 1998 when the LDDC was wound up. Note: The number in parenthesis indicates how many quarters were reported. Source: DCLG General Development Control Return, PS1. | |||||||||
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. Pickles) of 16 May 2006, Official Report, column 928W, on small business rate relief, how many small firms she estimates claimed relief in 2005-06; and if she will estimate the proportion of small firms who were eligible who claimed the relief. [88249]
Mr. Woolas: This information is not held centrally.
Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what conclusions on (a) the relative merits of (i) private and (ii) public sector contracts for sports and leisure facilities and (b) the future letting of contracts for sport and leisure facilities she drew from the Audit Commission report “Public Sports and Recreational Services”. [87625]
Mr. Caborn: I have been asked to reply.
Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps she will take to improve strategic planning in leisure services following the publication of the Audit Commission report “Public Sports and Recreational Services”. [87626]
Mr. Caborn: I have been asked to reply.
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what research the Valuation Office Agency has undertaken in relation to developing (a) a national property database and (b) a National Spatial Data Infrastructure. [88092]
Mr. Woolas: The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) has maintained a national database of properties in England and Wales to enable it to discharge its statutory functions for many years.
The VOA has not researched the development of a National Spatial Data Infrastructure.
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 10 May 2006, Official Report, columns 956-7W, on the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), when the VOA’s communications strategy for the council tax revaluation was (a) submitted to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and (b) last (i) updated and (ii) amended by the VOA. [88282]
Mr. Woolas: The answer given to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. Pickles) of 10 May 2006, Official Report, columns 956-7W, explains that a communications strategy was being drafted by the Valuation Office Agency before the postponement of council tax revaluation in England, announced on20 September 2005.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment the Government have made of whether the Valuation Office Agency’s Automated Valuation Model holds sensitive personal data as defined by the Data Protection Act 1998. [86834]
Mr. Woolas: The Valuation Office Agency’s Automated Valuation Model (AVM) is a processing tool and does not hold data.
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many accidents have taken place in establishments for which his Department is responsible in the last 12 months; how many court cases have arisen as a result; how much has been awarded in (a) damages and (b) settlements; and if he will make a statement. [81906]
Mr. Dhanda: The Department has received three personal injury claims relating to accidents on its premises, since 1 July 2005. Two of the cases are ongoing and one was settled out of court, at a cost to my Department of £479.99 to cover costs for physiotherapy and damage to personal property.
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children whose parents have learning difficulties were adopted in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [86340]
Mr. Dhanda: We do not collect centrally information on parents of children looked after therefore figures are not available for the number of children adopted whose parents have learning difficulties.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what advertising campaigns the Department has run between 2000 and June 2004; and what the (a) date and (b) cost was of each. [87065]
Mr. Dhanda: The Department’s total spend on advertising campaigns was:
| £ | |
| 2000-01 | |
| £ | |
| 2001-02 | |
| £ | |
| 2002-03 | |
| £ | |
| 2003-04 | |
| £ | |
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what steps he plans to take to provide specialist teacher training for the support of children with autism in mainstream schooling; [86500]
Mr. Dhanda: The framework for teacher training ensures that qualifying and newly qualified teachers, including those who support children with autism in mainstream schools, are aware of their responsibilities to children with special educational needs (SEN) and can plan effectively to meet these children’s needs. Further, in-service training on particular SEN, such as autism, is a matter for schools and local authorities.
“all those who plan or provide for children with an ASD should have some knowledge and understanding of autism”.
Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will publish the most recent review of the British Educational Communications and Technology Agency. [87360]
Phil Hope: The most recent review of Becta was published in March 2003. Copies of the reports are lodged in the Commons Library and are also available on Becta's website:
www.foi.becta.org.uk
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when he expects schools in Brent to receive funding from the Building Schools for the Future programme. [87782]
Jim Knight: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my predecessor on 9 January 2006, Official Report, column 394W, when she was advised that Brent has been informed that it may expect to start in the programme in waves 7-9.
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the timetable is for the allocation of cases in (a) private and (b) public law in the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS). [86962]
Mr. Dhanda: This is a matter for CAFCASS. Anthony Douglas, the Chief Executive, has written to the hon. Member with this information and a copy of his reply has been placed in the House Library.
In my capacity as Acting Chief Executive, whilst Mr Douglas is on leave, I am responding to the recent parliamentary question that you tabled.
PQ 86962 - what the timetable is for the allocation of cases in (a) private and (b) public law in the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service.
CAFCASS aims to allocate all cases at the earliest opportunity. In public law we have a Key Performance Indicator, to allocate at least 70% of cases within 2 days of receipt by March 2007. At the end of May 2006 five of our ten regions are exceeding this target. The national average was 55.3%. In addition, we have a Key Performance Indicator, to allocate 98% of public law cases within 28 days of receipt. At the end of May we achieved this in 92% of cases, with 5 regions exceeding the target.
We have an internal performance indicator that there will be no more than 4% of Private Law cases unallocated. At the end of May 3% of cases were unallocated. All but 4 regions met the target as 97% of requests received had been allocated by the month end.
Mr. Wills: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many child care places were available in Swindon in each year since 1997. [86636]
Beverley Hughes: The available information on child care places, for Swindon local authority area, is shown in Tables 1 and 2.
| Table 1: Number( 1, 2 ) of day care places for children under eight years of age by type of provider, Swindon local authority area, position at 31 March each year, 1997 to 2002 | ||||||
| Type of provider | 1997( 3) | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 |
| n/a
= Not
available. (1) Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 or 100 places. (2) Data Source: Children’s Day Care Facilities Survey. (3) Affected by local government reorganisation on 1 April 1997. (4) From 1999, places were counted once for each school holiday. Before 1999, places were counted once each year. (5) Under 5. | ||||||
| Table 2: Number( 1, 2 ) of registered child care places for children under eight years of age by type of care, Swindon local authority area, position at 31 March each year, 2003 to 2006 | ||||
| Type of care | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 |
| (1)
Rounded to the nearest 100
places. (2) Data Source: Ofsted. | ||||
John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many Part 8 reviews into child deaths have occurred in each local authority area in each of the last 10 years. [84571]
Mr. Dhanda: The Child Protection Database, maintained by the Commission for Social Care Inspection, provides the data in the table on the numbers of confirmed Serious Case Reviews (SCRs), following the death of a child, in each local authority since 2000. Accurate data prior to 2000 are not available. The following table includes only those authorities where a child death has led to a confirmed SCR and provides an overall total for between 2000-05. In order to maintain the confidentiality of individual children who were the subject of a SCR, ((1)—) denotes fewer than three SCRs. The data for 2006 are not yet complete.
| 2000-05 | |
| Responsible Council | Number |
| (1
)Fewer than three
SCRs. | |
Mr. Wills: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students from mainland China studied in England in each year since 1997. [86632]
Bill Rammell: The latest available information is given in the table:
| Students from mainland China who studied( 1) in English higher education institutions in each year since 1997 | |
| Academic year | Number |
| (1)
Figures include both undergraduate and postgraduate students and also
full-time and part-time
students. Notes: 1. Figures are on a snapshot basis as at 1 December (excluding those writing up, on sabbatical or dormant). 2. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 5. Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) student record data. | |
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what guidance is available to children's trusts on joint working between agencies responsible for supporting children with communication disabilities; [86773]
Mr. Dhanda: The Joint Planning and Commissioning Framework for Children, Young People, and Maternity Services, published in March 2006, aims to help local partners to put in place a unified planning and commissioning system which will put improved outcomes at the centre of their thinking, will create a clear picture of what children and young people need, will make the best use of resources, and will join up services so that children and young people with multiple needs experience a seamless service.
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what projections he has made of the number and proportion of pupils in the fourth key stage who will opt to study for (a) a general diploma and (b) a specialised diploma in each of the first five years following their introduction; [87353]
Jim Knight: The Chapter 6, paragraph 18, of the ‘Department’s Five Year Strategy for Children and Learners’, published on 8 July 2004, set out our aim to extend vocational options across all schools as part of our commitment to strengthening choice and the personalisation of the curriculum. To support this aim, the Strategy stated that we will dramatically increase the number of 14-16 year olds studying vocational subjects in schools, colleges and training providers to just over 180,000 by 2007-08.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 6 July 2006, Official Report, column 1384W, on the Electronic Children’s Database (1) what plans he has to prevent accidental loss or theft of data stored in the index; [86889]
(7) what plans he has to introduce offences for the misuse or abuse of the database; [86903]
Beverley Hughes: In relation to questions (86889 and 86903), the Information Sharing Index will be designed to ensure a high level of physical and environmental security to protect against natural hazards that could interrupt service. Arrangements will be in place to enable operations to continue effectively, notwithstanding any system component failures. There will be an effective and tested contingency plan that would, for example, ensure that a back-up system is in place.
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupils under the age of 18 years sat (a) SATs (b) GCSEs, (c) GNVQs and (d) A-levels in each year since 1997. [86446]
Jim Knight [holding answer 20 July 2006]: The information required is in the following table.
| Pupils under the age of 18 entered for tests or exams | |||||||||
| Thousand | |||||||||
| 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | |
| (1)
The 2004 and 2005 figures have not been made available as they are not
directly comparable to figures prior to and including 2003. This is to
reflect the
following: in 2004 a trial took place in which some local authorities (LAs) were asked to only submit teacher assessments to the Department, and the remaining LAs continued to submit both. in 2005, for the first time, schools were only required to report teacher assessments. (2) Figures are calculated as pupils eligible for assessment less those who were absent (A), disapplied (D) and “working towards” level 1 (W). (3) Figures are calculated as pupils eligible for assessment less those who were absent (A), disapplied (D) and not require to be entered for the reading tests (X). (4) Figures are calculated as pupils eligible for assessment less those who were absent (A), working below the level of the test (B) or disapplied/unable to access the test (A/T). | |||||||||
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of (a) primary and (b) secondary school children are taught at least one foreign language. [87493]
Jim Knight: The Department does not collect data on the number of primary school children learning languages. However, in January 2005 the findings of Headspace, a survey of head teachers by Education Guardian and Edcoms, indicated that 56 per cent. of all primary schools in England were planning for or implementing language learning programmes to their pupils, (b) In 2005, the percentage of pupils at the end of key stage 4 attempting any modern foreign language examination was 59 per cent. (375,300 pupils out the cohort of 633,400).
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 13 July 2006, Official Report, column 1984W, on further education colleges, from which providers’ prospectuses he found evidence of these types of courses. [86896]
Bill Rammell: Information about tarot card reading, stand-up comedy and various forms of cake decorating courses is available on the learndirect website (http://www.learndirect.co.uk/) or the London Floodlight website (http://www.floodlight.co.uk/). The websites provide course information plus details of those colleges and other providers which offer the course.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students re-sat at least one examination at (a) GCSE and (b) A-level in each of the past five years. [86862]
Jim Knight: The information requested is not readily available and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many completed examination papers at (a) GCSE and (b) A-level were lost in each of the past five years. [86870]
Jim Knight: The National Assessment Agency (NAA) collected data on the number of GCSE, AS and A-level examination scripts missing on results day in 2004 and 2005; comparable data is not available for previous years. More than 20 million exam scripts circulated in summer 2005 across all awarding bodies. The number of scripts missing prior to marking was as follows:
| Missing scripts | ||
| 2004 | 2005 | |
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the creation of a gifted pupils’ register; and what assessment he has made of the merits of such a proposal. [86950]
Jim Knight: The National Register is a key part of our programme to support gifted and talented learners in our schools. The National Register will help schools to identify these learners, as requested in the Schools Census, including those aged 11-19 who are eligible for membership of the National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth. It will enable schools and local authorities to target interventions where necessary to help pupils at risk of underachieving to fulfil their potential. We are also exploring whether higher education institutions might use data from the register to assist with their widening participation strategies.
Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent discussions he has had with the Home Department on protection of children on the internet and the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Bill. [85737]
Mr.
Dhanda: My right hon. Friend and I have
been informed of the content of discussions between DfES and Home
Office officials and representatives of the industry about the
provisions in the Bill for vetting chat
room moderators. My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of
State for Police and Security wrote to the Moderation Sub Group of the
Home Secretary's Taskforce for Child Protection on the Internet setting
out the two Departments' response to the concerns raised by the group.
Discussions are continuing with a view to clarifying how the
requirements in the Bill will work alongside the “Good Practice
Guidance for the Moderation of Interactive Services for
Children”, which the taskforce published in November 2005. There
is ongoing discussion at official level on matters arising from the
Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Bill which impact upon both Departments
as and when they occur as well as a range of other areas concerning
child protection on the internet. The taskforce child protection
measures sub group have, for example, set up a working group, of which
DfES is part, to look at the safety issues for children caused by the
development and growth of social networking
sites.
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if his Department will take steps to ringfence schools spending to ensure the appropriate level of investment is allocated to providing ergonomic, height adjustable furniture in schools; and if he will make a statement. [87415]
Jim Knight: The Government believe that schools are best placed to decide how to deploy the resources available to them through their delegated budgets and allocations of devolved formula capital and to decide on the appropriate level of investment to maintain the fixtures and fittings of their schools, including ergonomic furniture.
Mr. Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of (a) primary and (b) secondary schools have a playing field or playground where students can practise sports and participate in physical education lessons; and how much land was in use as school playing fields in (i) 1997 and (ii) the most recent year for which figures are available. [86872]
Jim Knight [holding answer 20 July 2006]: Data on areas of school playing fields and external spaces were supplied to my Department by local education authorities in 2001 and 2003. However, the completeness and quality of the data are not good enough accurately to assess the proportion of schools that have playing fields or playgrounds where students can practice sports and participate in physical education lessons. Nor can the data provide information on the total area of land in use as school playing fields.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) primary and (b) secondary schools have toilets fitted with (i) hippos, (ii) cistern and flush controls and (iii) other water saving devices. [87376]
Jim Knight: The Department does not hold information on how many schools have fitted cistern displacement devices (such as hippos), cistern and flush controls and other water saving devices. Howeverthe Water Regulations (Water Regulations Advisory scheme 2005) require automatic controls to be fittedto all new or refurbished urinal flushing cisterns. Comprehensive guidance on the fitting of water saving devices in schools is available in a new free publication “Sustainable water management in schools(1)”.
(1) Publication reference CIRIA W12, 66 pages, available for free download from http://www.ciria.org/downloads.htm
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which colleges offered a British Sign Language course for the academic years (a) 2003-04, (b) 2004-05, (c) 2005-06 and (d) 2006-07; which colleges expect to offer such a course in 2007-08; and what public funding supported or is planned to support such courses in each year. [86912]
Bill Rammell: Data on the particular courses offered by colleges are not held centrally. However, the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) do hold information on which FE providers have at least one LSC-funded learner taking a British Sign Language course for 2003/04 (336 providers in total) and 2004/05 (312 providers). A list of these FE providers will be placed in the House of Commons Library. Full year figures for 2005/06 are not yet available as the academic year which spans 1 August to 31 July has not finished, but an initial list based on enrolments at 1 October 2005 will also be provided in the House Library. Full-year information for 2005/06 is likely to be available in December 2006.
Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what advisory support services (a) are provided by his Department and (b) the Department funds the voluntary and community sector which offer information and support to children identified as having communication disabilities; [87151]
Mr. Dhanda: The Department does not itself provide advisory support services for children with communication disabilities. We have however published a detailed information booklet for parents on speech and language difficulties under our Early Support Programme and we continue to look for opportunities to work in collaboration with relevant voluntary sector organisations. We have, for example, given grants for particular projects to the Association For All Speech Impaired Children (AFASIC), I CAN, the Aiding Communication in Education Centres and the Selective Mutism Information and Research Association (SMIRA).
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what percentage of graduates were paying back income-contingent student loans in each year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [84697]
Bill Rammell: Borrowers enter repayment status in the April after they leave their course as they are in principle, eligible to repay their loans. However, borrowers only make repayments when they are earning over £15,000 and those earning less are not required to make any repayments.
| Financial year | ||||
| 2003-04 | 2002-03 | 2001-02 | 2000-01 | |
| (1
)Figures include those who made a repayment but who are not in
repayment
status. Note: Numbers are rounded to the nearest 100. | ||||
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimates he has made of the average time graduates in each year since 1990 will take to pay off (a) mortgage style student loans and (b) income contingent student loans; and if he will make a statement. [86072]
Bill Rammell: The currently estimated average times for loans to be fully repaid are (a) around eight years for mortgage-style loans and (b) around 13 years for income-contingent loans. There is no evidence available to suggest that there is any difference in time taken to repay between particular borrower cohort years.
Mr. Wills: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many places are available on Sure Start schemes in Swindon; and what percentage of eligible children are on each scheme. [86637]
Beverley Hughes: There are three Sure Start children’s centres up and running in Swindon offering services, including 56 child care places, to 2,739(1 )children under five and their families. These build on the earlier Sure Start Local Programme set up in 2001 to offer services to 804 children under four. Information on numbers using children’s centres’ services is not available yet, however information for the month of March, 2005 (the latest available) shows 28 per cent.(2) of children in Swindon had significant contact (that is, a home visit or attendance at a centre-based activity) with the Penhill and Pinehurst Sure Start programme.
(1) 2,739 children include 804 children previously served by the1 SSLP in Swindon that has become a children’s centre.
(2 ) Source:
Sure Start Local Programme data returns March 2005.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children have participated in Sure Start schemes in each constituency since its introduction. [87377]
Beverley Hughes: The information requested by constituency is not collected centrally. Between 1999-2003, 524 Sure Start local programmes were approved to deliver services to 400,000 children aged under 4 and their families in disadvantaged areas. The latest information available (for March 2005) shows an average of 23 per cent. of children had significant contact (that is a home visit or at a centre based activity) with their local Sure Start programme. We expect all of these to become children’s centres providing services to children aged under 5 and their families. The first children’s centres were approved in 2003. By the end of September 2006 we expect children’s centre services to be offering services to 893,977 children. By March 2008 we expect this to rise to 2,132,279 children across England, including all those living in the 30 per cent. most deprived areas.
Sir Peter Soulsby: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what interpretation and translation service provision his Department makes for people (a) visiting his Department, (b) telephoning his Department and (c) visiting his Department's website. [87379]
Mr. Dhanda: The procedure for visitors and telephone calls is to use the DfES internal network services. The network provides information on officers who are native or fluent in a language and can be called upon when required.
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what his most recent estimate is of the levels of truancy in secondary schools in (a) rural and (b) non-rural areas in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [85944]
Jim Knight: The Department does not hold data on pupils recorded as truant. However, the figures for the proportion of half days missed due to unauthorised absence (of which truancy forms a part) in maintained mainstream secondary schools in (a) rural and (b) non-rural areas in each year since 1997 are given in the table as follows:
| Percentage of half days missed in maintained mainstream secondary schools( 1 ) due to unauthorised absence( 2) | ||
| Rural areas | Non-rural areas | |
| (1)
Includes middle schools as
deemed. (2) Figures are only available to 1 decimal place prior to 2001/02. | ||
Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students in (a) Barnsley and (b) Doncaster are exempt from tuition fees. [87636]
Bill Rammell: The number of students in Barnsley and Doncaster local authority making no contribution to their tuition fees in 2004/05 was 970 and 1,430(1) respectively.
(1) Numbers rounded to the nearest 10 students.
Mr. Pope: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people under the age of 25 years were not in education, employment or training in (a) Hyndburn and (b) England in (i) the last year for which figures are available and (ii) 1997. [86234]
Mr. Dhanda: The following table shows the percentage of 16 to 24-year-olds not in education, employment or training for Hyndburn constituency, Lancashire LEA and England. Figures are for 2004 and are the latest available; figures for 1997 are not available.
| Geographic area | Percentage of 16 to 24-year-olds not in education, employment or training, 2004( 1) |
| (1)
To reduce the margin of error, figures have been produced by combining
information from the Local Labour Force Survey for 2002, 2003 and 2004.
However, sample sizes for Hyndburn and Lancashire are still small and
are subject to sampling variability. Care should be taken when
interpreting the
figures. | |
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what representations he has received from university admissions tutors on the relative value of A-levels and the International Baccalaureate in admission assessments; and if he will make a statement. [85961]
Bill Rammell [holding answer 18 July 2006]: I am not aware of any such representations. Higher education institutions are autonomous organisations and are entirely responsible for their own admission assessments, entry requirements, and decisions.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the staffing costs were of each (a) university and (b) former polytechnic in(i) 1976-77, (ii) 1979-80, (iii) 1985-86, (iv) 1996-97, (v) 1997-98, (vi) 2001-02 and (vii) 2004-05; and how many full-time equivalent students there were at each university in each year. [85290]
Bill Rammell: The latest available information is given in the following tables. Information for the former polytechnics for the years prior to 1996-97 is not held centrally. Figures for 1979-80 were not published; figures for 1978-79 are given instead.
| Expenditure on total staff costs and student full-time equivalent numbers Universities in England | ||||||
| 1976/77 | 1978/79 | 1985/86 | ||||
| Institution name | Staffing costs (£000) | Full-time equivalent student load | Staffing costs (£000) | Full-time equivalent student load | Staffing costs (£000) | Full-time equivalent student load |
| Source: University Grants Committee. | ||||||
| Expenditure on total staff costs and student full-time equivalent numbers Universities, former Polytechnics and University Colleges in England | |||||||||
| Expenditure (£000)( 1) | Student FTE numbers( 2) | ||||||||
| Institution | 1996/97 | 1997/98 | 2001/02 | 2004/05 | 1996/97 | 1997/98 | 2001/02 | 2004/05 | |
Institute of Psychiatry (associated with King’s College London) | |||||||||
The University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology | |||||||||
United Medical and Dental Schools, Guy’s and St. Thomas’s Hospitals | |||||||||
| Notes: — indicates: No separate finance record was collected for that institution in that year. No Student Record was collected separately for that institution in that year. Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency’s Finance and Student records 1996-97,1997-98,2001-02, 2004-05 Students ftes have been rounded to the nearest 5. | |||||||||
Mr. Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what support is provided by his Department for partially-sighted and blind pupils in (a) primary, (b) secondary, (c) further and (d) higher education; [86542]
Mr. Dhanda: The special educational needs (SEN) code of practice provides advice to local authorities and schools on their statutory duties to identify, assess and make provision for children who have special educational needs, including children who are blindor partially sighted. The code sets out a graduated approach to providing support. Many children who are blind or partially sighted will have statements of SEN. All statements are reviewed at least annually. The purpose of the review is to consider a child’s progress, to ensure they are achieving desired outcomes and, if necessary, to amend their statements to reflect newly identified needs and provision.
(1) The total number of students in receipt of DSAs involves an element of double-counting since a student can have more than one allowance.
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much capital expenditure there has been on schools which come under York local education authority in each year since 1986. [86524]
Jim Knight: Records are not maintained centrally of local authority capital expenditure on schools, as this is decided in accordance with local asset management plans and will depend upon local authorities’ total sources of available funding. The Department has maintained records of capital allocations to local authorities for schools since 1996, and those for York city council and schools in its area are set out in the following table:
| £ million | |
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much per child was spent on (a) (i) pre-school, (ii) primary school and (iii) 11 to 16-year-old secondary school pupils in York schools and (b) sixth formers (A) in York schools and (B) at York College in each year since 1996-97 (1) in cash and (2) at current prices. [86525]
Jim Knight: The Department does not hold any comparable expenditure information for pre primary pupils and it is not possible to distinguish figures for sixth formers from 11 to 16-year-old secondary pupils. The Department does not collect figures for York College. The available information is contained in the following tables:
| School based expenditure per pupil( 1,2,3,4,5 ) and combined local authority and school based expenditure per pupil( 1,6 ) since 1996-97( 7,8,9) | ||||
| £ cash terms( 10,11) | ||||
| Primary school based expenditure per pupil( 1,2,3,4) | Pre-primary and primary school based expenditure per pupil( 1,2,3,4) | Secondary school based expenditure per pupil( 1,2,3,5) | Combined LA and school based expenditure per pupil( 1,6) | |
| £ real terms (2005-06 prices)( 10,11,12) | ||||
| Primary school based expenditure perpupil( 1,2,3,4) | Pre-primary and primary school based expenditure per pupil( 1,2,3,4) | Secondary school based expenditure per pupil( 1,2,3,5) | Combined LA and school based expenditure per pupil( 1,6) | |
| (1)
The expenditure data to 1998-99 are drawn from the annual
‘RO1’ spending returns which local authorities submitted
to the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions. Figures
for 1999-2000 to 2001-02 are drawn from section 52 (table 3) outturn
statements which local authorities submitted to the DfES. Figures for
2002-03 onwards are taken from section 52 (table A) outturn statements.
The change in sources is shown by the blank
rows. (2) School based expenditure includes only expenditure incurred directly by local authority maintained schools. This includes the pay of teachers and school-based support staff, school premises costs, books and equipment, and certain other supplies and services, less any capital items funded from recurrent spending and income from sales, fees and charges and rents and rates. This excludes the central cost of support services such as home to school transport, local authority administration and the financing of capital expenditure. The pupil data are drawn from the DfES Annual Schools Census adjusted to be on a financial year basis. (3) From 2002-03 onwards the school based expenditure calculation is broadly similar to the calculation in previous years. However, 2001-02 and earlier years includes all premature retirement compensation (PRC) and Crombie payments, mandatory PRC payments and other indirect employee expenses, while from 2002-03 only the schools element of these categories is included. In 2001-02 this accounted for approximately £70 per pupil of the England total, while the schools element of these categories accounted for approximately £50 per pupil of the England total in 2002-03. Also, for some LAs, expenditure that had previously been attributed to the school sectors was reported within the LA part of the form from 2002-03 and would therefore be excluded from the school based expenditure calculation, though this is not quantifiable from existing sources. (4) Figures for the primary sector alone were not available until the inception of section 52 in financial year 1999-2000. The pre-primary figures are not sufficiently robust to use in this reply. (5) Secondary school based expenditure includes all expenditure incurred directly by local authority maintained secondary schools. It is not possible from existing sources to distinguish this expenditure between expenditure on 11 to 16-year-olds and expenditure on 6th form pupils attending maintained secondary schools. (6) Combined local authority and school based expenditure includes all expenditure on the education of children in local authority maintained establishments and pupils educated by the authority other than in maintained establishments. This includes both school based expenditure and all elements of central LA expenditure except youth and community and capital expenditure from revenue (CERA). Pupil figures include all pre-primary pupils, including those under fives funded by the authority and being educated in private settings (only available from 1999-2000), pupils educated in maintained mainstream schools and any other local authority maintained pupils. All pupil numbers are adjusted to be on a financial year basis. (7) Spending in 1997-98 reflects the transfer of monies from local government to central Government for the nursery vouchers scheme. These were returned to local government from 1998-99. (8) Figures prior to 1999-2000 exclude any expenditure on service, strategy and regulation. (9) The expenditure data for 1999-2000 onwards reflect the return of grant maintained schools to local authority maintenance. (10) ‘—’denotes figures are not available or have not been scored on a consistent basis (11) Figures are rounded to the nearest £10. (12) Cash figures are converted to 2005-06 prices using the 30 June 2006 gross domestic product (GDP) deflators. Note: As reported by York local authority as at 17 July 2006. | ||||
Mr. Swire: To ask the Prime Minister (1) when (a) he and (b) his officials have held meetings in the last 12 months with casino operators interested in securing licences under the Gambling Act 2005; where each meeting took place; and what was discussed; [83362]
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Prime Minister (1) if he will list the meetings he has had with representatives of the Anschutz Entertainment Group and associated companies since 1997; [85660]
The Prime Minister: My officials and I have meetings with a wide range of organisations and individuals on a wide range of subjects. Information relating to internal meetings, discussion and advice is not disclosed as to do so could harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion.
Sir Michael Spicer: To ask the Prime Minister when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire of 6 June about whaling and global warming. [87934]
The Prime Minister: My Office had no record of receiving this correspondence at the time this question was tabled. However, my Office has since received copies of the letters. These have been forwarded to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for reply.
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Prime Minister whether it is his policy that in future the House will be asked to vote before the UK declares war on another country; and if he will make a statement. [87599]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Pendle (Mr. Prentice) on 15 February 2006, Official Report, column 2033W.
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Prime Minister where he purchased the sweater recently given as a gift to the President of the United States; how much the item cost; and where it was made. [87265]
The Prime Minister: It would not be appropriate to disclose this information.
Lynne Jones: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to Paragraph B of the Government's Response to the Intelligence and Security Committee's Annual Report 2005-06, Cm 6865, what arrangements are in place under the Joint Intelligence Committee Chairman which are intended to ensure the opportunity for challenge and dissent at all levels across the intelligence community. [87535]
The Prime Minister: At each stage in the preparation of Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC) Assessments (the drafting of a paper, its consideration by the Current Intelligence Group, its review prior to circulation to the JIC, in discussion at JIC itself), there is careful testing of assumptions, inferences and judgements and encouragement of active debate about them. The challenge function within the Assessments staff itself has been strengthened.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Prime Minister what representations he (a) has made and (b) plans to make to the (i) Government of Lebanon, (ii) Government of Syria, (iii) Government of Iran and (iv) United Nations about the honouring of the agreement brokered by the United Nations to protect the Northern Border of the state of Israel; and if he will make a statement. [87340]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to my statement of 18 July 2006, Official Report, columns 151-54, and to the debate in the House on International Affairs on 20 July 2006, Official Report, columns 510-67.
Mr. Swire: To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he had with (a) the Deputy Prime Minister and (b) officials from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in relation to the sale of the millennium dome. [86021]
The Prime Minister: I have regular meetings and discussions with ministerial colleagues and others on a wide range of subjects. Information relating to internal meetings, discussion and advice is not disclosed as to do so could harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Prime Minister (1) when the Cabinet Sub-Committee on the sale of the millennium dome was (a) created and (b) dissolved; [85661]
(2) which Minister chaired the Cabinet Sub-Committee on the sale of the millennium dome. [85662]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the then Member for Birmingham, Erdington (Robin Corbett) on 19 December 2000, Official Report, column 108W. The Ministerial Group on the Millennium Dome (MISC10) was dissolved in September 2003.
Mr. MacNeil: To ask the Prime Minister what his policy is on informing the House when a Minister is questioned by the police in connection with a criminal inquiry. [86577]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the press briefing given by my Official Spokesman on Friday 14 July. A transcript of this is available on the No. 10 website and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House.
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make is his policy to strengthen the ministerial code to ensure that Ministers’ taxation declarations and assessments are up-to-date. [87588]
The Prime Minister: Ministers’ personal taxation declarations and assessments are subject to the same rules as other citizens.
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to ensure that a public register is maintained of all ministerial payments to charity in respect of free or subsidised overnight accommodation which is made available to them or their families. [87586]
The Prime Minister: Hospitality received by Ministers, including when a charitable donation has been made, is declared in the Register of Members’ Interests as appropriate.
Mr. Swire: To ask the Prime Minister what plans he had (a) to visit America in July 2005 and (b) to visit Mr. Anschutz's ranch in Colorado. [86285]
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to visit the Middle East. [87122]
The Prime Minister: For security reasons, my future engagements are announced as and when appropriate.
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Prime Minister which constituencies the Prime Minister has visited since 1997; and on how many occasions in each case. [88199]
The Prime Minister: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Southend, West (Mr. Amess) on 2 May 2006, Official Report, columns 1385-1387W.
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Prime Minister how (a) the Segway transporter, (b) jewellery, watches and costumery, (c) the electric Ferrari, (d) the two daggers, (e) wine and (f) the archaeological artefacts gifted to his Office by the State of Israel and listed on the Donated Asset Reserve are displayed. [87597]
The Prime Minister: The arrangements for the handling of gifts are set out in chapter 5 of the Ministerial Code.
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Prime Minister what the mechanism is by which Ministers may sponsor potential candidates for the Privy Council; and if he will make a statement. [87595]
The Prime Minister: I submit nominations to the Queen seeking her approval.
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Prime Minister who provided the tractor that the Prime Minister used to launch Red Tractor Day, in Downing Street on 20 April; and where it was manufactured. [87421]
The Prime Minister: The Red Tractor Day launch was organised by Assured Food Standards (AFS), who administer the Red Tractor logo.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Prime Minister whether he was consulted by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the appointment of Sir David Varney as a senior adviser on Transformational Government. [88216]
The Prime Minister: I have regular meetings and discussions with ministerial colleagues and others on a wide range of subjects. Information relating to internal meetings, discussion and advice is not disclosed as to do so could harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what advertising campaigns the Department has run between 2000 and June 2004; and what the (a) date and (b) cost was of each. [87051]
Mrs. McGuire: The Department for Work and Pensions was formed on 8 June 2001 from parts of the former Department for Social Security, the former Department for Education and Employment, and the Employment Service. Information prior to 2001 is not held centrally and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
| (a) Dates of activity | (b) Annual cost (£000) |
| Notes: 1. The table does not include the following as the information is not held centrally and to obtain it would incur disproportionate cost. Spend by non-departmental bodies for which the Department is responsible details of highly localised publicity activity by the Department’s customer-facing businesses recruitment or procurement advertising. 2. The figures in the table refers to media spend only, excluding production and other costs. 3. All figures have been rounded to the nearest thousand. 4. All figures are exclusive of VAT. | |
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much was spent per head of population in (a) England, (b) Scotland and (c) Wales on the Age Positive campaign in (i) 2004-05 and (ii) 2005-06; and how much has been spent in 2006-07. [78876]
Mr. Jim Murphy: The Age Positive campaign operates nationally, covering England, Scotland and Wales. Costs for Scotland and Wales are not available separately. The approximate spend on the campaign was £646,000 for 2004-05, £913,000 for 2005-06 and up to the end of May 2006 £94,000 for 2006-07.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will take steps to improve the training received by health care professionals involved in the application process for benefit assessmentsin respect of (a) multiple sclerosis and (b) other long-term fluctuating conditions. [86236]
Mrs. McGuire: All Medical Services doctors who carry out benefit assessments receive training in disability assessment medicine, which is constantly evaluated and improved. The training includes the need to take account of long-term fluctuating conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, and how these conditions affect a person over a period of time.
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of pensioners in (i) rural and (ii) non-rural areas entitled to but not claiming state pension in each year since 1997; and what proportion this figure represents of all those entitled to state pension. [85924]
James Purnell: The information requested is not available. However, the proportion of pensioner units in receipt of some state pension income in Great Britain is shown in the table. The 2 per cent. without state pension income may include those not entitled as well as those deferring their state pension or misreporting their income when asked.
| Percentage | |
| Notes: 1. Results are for all pensioner benefit units, where a pensioner couple is defined as a couple where the man is at or above state pension age. 2. State pension income includes income from other contributory benefits for the elderly including widows’ benefits and incapacity benefit. 3. Results are based on survey respondents’ identification of different elements of benefit income, and are therefore subject to misreporting. Source: Table 3.3, Pensioners Income Series 2004/05 which is based upon data from the Family Resources Survey. | |
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate (a) the total amount of (i) incapacity benefit, (ii) income support, (iii) jobseeker’s allowance, (iv) pension credit, (v) council tax benefit and (vi) housing benefit erroneously paid to prisoners in each year since 1997 and (b) the number of prisoners involved in each case. [77993]
Mr. Plaskitt: Information is not available for incapacity benefit, council tax benefit, and housing benefit. The available information on the amount of income support, jobseeker’s allowance, and pension credit overpaid due to fraud or customer error is in the table.
There are no estimates available for how many prisoners would have been involved.
| Estimates of benefit overpaid to prisoners through fraud or customer error | |||
| £ million | |||
| Incorrectness | Income support | Jobseeker’s allowance | Pension credit |
| Notes: 1. All overpayments estimates rounded to the nearest £1 million. 2. Estimates are based on sampling exercises. Benefit paid incorrectly to prisoners form a small proportion of total overpayments. Estimates for them are based on reviews of small numbers of cases and so are subject to large sampling errors and other uncertainties. Sampling uncertainty is expressed in the form of confidence intervals - these have not been provided in these tables. 3. Estimates for overpayments to prisoners were not reported separately for earlier years. | |||
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of people entitled to but not claiming (a) housing benefit, (b) council tax benefit, (c) winter fuel payments, (d) disability living allowance, (e) incapacity benefit, (f) income support, (g) jobseeker’s allowance and (h) child support in each year since 1997-98, broken down by (i) rural areas and (ii) non-rural areas; what estimate he has made of the amount of unclaimed benefit in each case; and if he will make a statement. [84616]
Mr. Plaskitt: Estimates for the main income-related benefits—income support/minimum income guarantee, pension credit, housing benefit, council tax benefit and income-based jobseeker’s allowance—for eligible private household population in Great Britain, are available in the DWP report entitled “Income Related Benefits Estimates of Take- Up”. Copies of the latest publication, which describes patterns in take-up since 1997-98, together with past reports, are available in the Library.
No estimates are available for incapacity benefit.
Child support is not a benefit.
Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people are in receipt of carer’s allowance in (a) Barnsley East and Mexborough, (b) Barnsley and (c) Doncaster. [86381]
Mrs. McGuire: The administration of carer’s allowance is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Disability and Carers Service, Mr. Terry Moran. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people are in receipt of carer’s allowance in (a) Barnsley, East and Mexborough (b) Barnsley and (c) Doncaster.
The Minister for Disabled People, Anne McGuire MP, promised you a substantive reply from the Chief Executive of the Disability and Carers Service.
The information requested is in the following table:
| Carer’s allowance recipients as at November 2005 | |
| Number | |
| Definitions
and Conventions: "-" nil or negligible; "." not applicable; Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest 10 and expressed in thousands. Totals may not sum due to rounding. Notes: 1. Only cases in payment are shown (those with underlying entitlement but not actually receiving payment have been excluded). 2. Government office region, local authorities and parliamentary constituencies have been allocated using the ONS postcode directory. Source: DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study. | |
I hope you find the information helpful.
Mr. Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many people are in receipt of carer’s allowance in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) Great Britain; and how many there were in each year since its inception; [85867]
Mrs. McGuire: The administration of carer’s allowance is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Disability and Carers Service, Mr. Terry Moran. He will write to my hon. Friend with the information requested.
You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many people are in receipt of a Carer’s Allowance in (a) Jarrow constituency (b) South Tyneside (c) the North East and (d) the UK; and how many there were in each year since its inception; and (2) how many people over the age of 60 have been registered as carers in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK in each year since 1997.
The Minister for Disabled People, Anne McGuire MP, promised you a substantive reply from the Chief Executive of the Disability and Carers Service.
You have kindly confirmed that your second question referred specifically to how many people over the age of 60 are in receipt of Carer’s Allowance in your constituency and in the UK.
Prior to 2001, reliable figures for the number of people in receipt of Carer’s Allowance are not available because data available then did not distinguish between those in payment and those with underlying payment.
The information available is provided in the attached Appendix.
I hope you find the information helpful.
Appendix:
| Number of Carer’s Allowance recipients as at November( 1) of each year from 2001 to 2005 | ||||
| Jarrow Parliamentary Constituency | South Tyneside LA | North East GOR | Great Britain | |
| Number of Carer’s Allowance recipients aged 60 and over, as at November( 1) of each year from 2001 to 2005 | ||||
| Jarrow Parliamentary Constituency | South Tyneside LA | North East GOR | Great Britain | |
| Definitions
and
Conventions: “—” Nil or Negligible; “.” Not applicable; Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest ten. Totals may not sum due to rounding. (1) Only cases in payment are shown (those with underlying entitlement but not actually receiving payment have been excluded). Notes: 1. Figures are only available for GB because the Department for Social Security Northern Ireland (NI) is responsible for NI statistics. 2. 2001 and 2002 figures are as at December. 2003, 2004 and 2005 figures are as at November. 3. Government Office Region, Local Authorities and Parliamentary constituencies have been allocated using the ONS postcode directory. Source: DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study for 2003-2005 and 100% samples for 2001-2002. | ||||
Mr. Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what percentage of children in (a) Houghton and Washington, East constituency and (b) Sunderland city council area have been lifted out of poverty since 1997. [87365]
Mr. Jim Murphy: Information below regional level is not available.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many children were living in poverty in (a) Brent, East and (b) Brent in each year since 1997. [87424]
Mr. Jim Murphy: Information below regional level is not available.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the unnumbered Command Papers produced by his Department in each session since 1976; how (a) hon. Members and (b) members of the public can (i) inspect and (ii) obtain copies; and if he will make a statement. [81658]
Mrs. McGuire: Documents which are laid before Parliament as unnumbered Command Papers are generally restricted to Explanatory Notes to Treaties, Explanatory Memorandum to Statutory Instruments and some Treasury Minutes. All other documents are published in the numbered Command Papers series.
A complete list of unnumbered Command Papers can only be produced at disproportionate cost.
Copies of all unnumbered Command Papers are made available via the Vote Office.
Sir Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he will reply to the letter of5 May from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire on overpayment of benefits. [78039]
Mr. Plaskitt [holding answer on 16 June 2006]: I replied to the hon. Member on 8 June 2006.
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many telephone lines are available in Crewe and Nantwich that are dedicated lines to the North West call centre for crisis loans; how many missed calls were recorded per day on average in the last period for which figures are available; how many complaints have been received about those lines in the last 12 months; and how crisis loans can be accessed if his Department's local office is closed; [83787]
Mr. Jim Murphy: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide my hon. Friend with the information requested.
Letter from Lesley Strathie, dated 24 July 2006:
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions asking how many telephone lines are available in Crewe and Nantwich that are dedicated lines to the North West call centre for crisis loans; how many missed calls were recorded per day on average in the last period for which figures are available; how many complaints have been received about those lines in the last 12 months; how crisis loans can be accessed if the Department's local office is closed and where the officials answering calls tothe telephone lines dedicated to applicants for crisis loans in the North West are located. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
The Social Fund Unit in Hartford House, Northwich is one of 13 such units in the Jobcentre Plus North West Region, which process applications for Crisis Loans. This unit covers more than one individual site. Customers can apply for a Crisis Loan by telephone (Crisis Loan Direct) or opt for a face-to-face interview.
The Northwich unit administers the Social Fund for the area covered by the Cheshire and Warrington Jobcentre Plus District. Customers within this District are able to access the Crisis Loan team in Northwich by telephone, or by the freephone facility at their local Jobcentre. Nantwich Jobcentre has one telephone programmed for Social Fund customers and Crewe Jobcentre has four. Applications for Crisis Loans for the rest of the North West are processed in the following sites: Mitre House, Lancaster; Marton Mere, Blackpool; Barry House, Preston; Rusholme, Manchester; Graeme House, Chorlton; Park Road, Toxteth; Hordan House, Birkenhead; Edendale House, Huyton; Webster House, Kirkby; Eastbank House, Southport; Gregson House, St Helens; Kingsway House, Widnes; Newgate House, Rochdale; Elizabeth House, Bolton; Beech House, Hyde; and Brun House, Burnley. Overall, there are 110 dedicated telephone lines for Crisis Loans throughout the North West Region.
I regret that I am unable to provide you with reliable data on the numbers of missed calls, as the current telephony system does not record this.
The Northwich team receive an average of sixty-five Crisis Loan applications each day. In the last twelve months a total of fifty-five complaints have been received concerning the difficulties experienced by customers in accessing this service. A number of those complaints followed a period between October and November 2005 during which the telephony system experienced extensive service interruptions and suspensions. Jobcentre Plus is currently investing in an enhanced telephony and IT system, to improve customer service as part of our programme to transform Social Fund delivery.
From April 2008 all Social Fund functions, including Crisis Loan Direct, for customers in our Cheshire and Warrington District will be delivered from a specialist unit in Belle Vale, Liverpool. Until then, Northwich will continue to administer Crisis Loan Direct.
Those customers who need a Crisis Loan when our offices are closed (i.e. outside normal working hours) can access the “Out of Hours Service” (OOHS), by contacting their Local Authority, Social Services or the police. The Pension Service can also make a referral to the OOHS on a weekday night up to 20.00. These contacts have details of the OOHS dedicated telephone numbers.
I am extremely concerned that your constituents have continued to experience difficulties in accessing the Crisis Loan service in Northwich, and can assure you that both my Regional and Local Social Fund Managers are taking action to address these capacity issues. I am confident that, as staff gain greater experience, with the introduction of a number of streamlined processes, and with improvements to the telephone service, we should be able to resolve these problems.
Both Bill Marks, NW Region Benefit Delivery Manager and Angela Keith, NW Region Social Fund Manager, will be more than happy to discuss any further concerns you may have, and I have also asked that they arrange an early meeting with the appropriate Citizens Advice Bureaux.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much was spent on crisis loans for people in each London borough in each of the last five years. [87117]
Mr. Plaskitt: The information requested is not available.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many complaints his Department received from (a) hon. Members, (b) advice agencies and (c) the public in each of the last 24 months. [41822]
Mrs. McGuire: The following annexes provide details of complaints received in DWP in 2004 and 2005.
| Complaints from members of the public and advice agencies | ||||||
| Jobcentre Plus | The Pension Service | Disability and Carers Service( 1) | Child Support Agency( 2) | Appeals Service( 3) | Compensation Recovery Unit | |
| (1)Figures
recorded only on a quarterly
basis (2) Figures are for First Stage of the complaints process, Treat Official and Chief Executive complaints, some of which may come from MPs (3) Until April 2005, the Appeals Service included all complaints in one count (4 )Figures recorded on a quarterly basis until April 2004 (5 )Total (6) Figures could not be retrieved within the required timescale (7) Total (8) Total (9) Total (10) Total (11) Total (12) Total (13) Total (14) Total (15) Total (16)The Appeals Service moved to the Department for Constitutional Affairs in April 2006. n/a=Not yet available. | ||||||
| Complaints from Members of Parliament | ||||||
| Jobcentre Plus | The Pension Service | Disability and Carers Service | Child Support Agency( 1) | Appeals Service( 2) | Compensation Recovery Unit | |
| (1)
Figures are for MP complaints to business units; MP complaints to Chief
Executive are included with other Chief Executive complaints in Annex
1 (2) Until April 2005, the Appeals Service included all complaints in one count (3) Figures could not be retrieved within the required timescale (4) The Appeals Service moved to the Department for Constitutional Affairs in April 2006. | ||||||
| Debt Management | |||
| Source of Complaint | |||
| Customer | MP | 3( rd) Party | |
| Notes: The “3rd party” category includes next of kin, appointees and executors as well as welfare rights organisations. The “Customer” category includes both written and verbal complaints by the customer. The table reflects figures across Debt Management, including the Enforcement Initiative. | |||
The Rent Service has provided figures for the period January 2004 to April 2006.
They received 73 letters of complaint from the public, and one letter of complaint from an MP.
Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what arrangements are made within the Department and its agencies for maintaining in its employment those (a) over 50 years and (b) with a disability in circumstances of (i) a period of sickness absence and (ii) local staff restructuring. [86040]
Mrs. McGuire: The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) does not discriminate on grounds of age. From October 2006 staff below Senior Civil Service grades will no longer have a mandatory retirement age in DWP. This means that once they have reached the minimum pension age of 60, staff themselves decide when to retire.
Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which voluntary and private sector organisations have been contracted by his Department to deliver (a) disability awareness and (b) other training to Jobcentre Plus staff. [83328]
Mr. Jim Murphy: Voluntary and private sector organisations have been involved with Jobcentre Plus since its inception to design, develop, deliver and quality assure the training provided to their staff.
Mr. Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households in Lancashire include a person with a learning disability who receives the care component of disability living allowance at the (a) highest, (b) middle and (c) lowest rate. [82756]
Mr. Jim Murphy: The administration of disability living allowance is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Disability and Carers Service, Mr. Terry Moran. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
Letter from Terry Moran, dated 24 July 2006:
You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many households in Lancashire include a person with a learning disability who receives the care component of disability living allowance at the (a) highest (b) middle and (c) lowest rate.
The Minister for Disabled People, Anne McGuire MP, promised you a substantive reply from the Chief Executive of the Disability and Carers Service.
The information available is in the following tables:
| Recipients of disability living allowance with learning difficulties by rate of care award as at November 2005 in Lancashire parliamentary constituencies | ||||
| Care component | ||||
| Total with care component | Highest rate | Middle rate | Lowest rate | |
| Notes: 1. Numbers are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Totals may not sum due to rounding. 3. The parliamentary constituencies are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant postcode directory. 4. Figures are based on the care component condition only. Source: DWP, WPLS 100 per cent. data. | ||||
| Recipients of disability living allowance with learning difficulties by rate of care award as at November 2005 in Lancashire local authorities | ||||
| Care component | ||||
| Total with care component | Highest rate | Middle rate | Lowest rate | |
| Notes: 1. Numbers are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Totals may not sum due to rounding. 3. The local authorities are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant postcode directory. 4. Figures are based on the care component condition only. Source: DWP, WPLS 100 per cent. data. | ||||
Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many disabled staff within his Department (a) received equipment and adaptations through the Access to Work scheme up to 2003 and (b) receive equipment and adaptations paid for by his Department. [79935]
Mrs. McGuire: Any Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) employee requiring equipment and adaptation support up until March would have received the necessary support with costs attributed to the national Access to Work budget. However, Jobcentre Plus Access to Work did not collect the numbers of departmental disabled staff accessing adaptations and equipment support at that time.
| Quarter ending | Number of reasonable adjustments undertaken |
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the draft Bills produced by his Department since October 2005; how many were examined or are planned to be examined by (a) a Departmental Select Committee or a combination of Select Committees and (b) a Joint Committee of both Houses of Parliament; and if he will make a statement. [81656]
Mrs. McGuire: The Department of Work and Pensions has produced no draft Bills since October 2005.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of families with three or more children were living in poverty in each county in (a) Wales, (b) Scotland, (c) England and (d) Northern Ireland in the most recent year for which figures are available. [87736]
Mr. Jim Murphy: Information below National or Government Office regional level is not available.
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the (a) average, (b) highest and (c) lowest payment has been under the financial assistance scheme to former Allied Steel and Wire workers living (i) in and (ii) outside Wales; and if he will make a statement. [64131]
James Purnell: The financial assistance scheme will provide a qualifying member with assistance that will top-up their scheme pension to a level broadly equivalent to 80 per cent. of their expected pension. Payments are subject to a de minimis level and a cap.
| FAS payments to former Allied Steel and Wire workers living in Wales | |
| Gross (£) | |
Under the Data Protection Act it is inappropriate to reveal such
“data which relate to a living individual who can be identified from those data”.
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much the Financial Assistance scheme has paid out to members of schemes that wound up before 6 April 2005 with insufficient funds to cover all pension entitlements; and if he will make a statement. [89095]
James Purnell: The Financial Assistance scheme has paid a total of £707,121.93 (gross) to members of pension schemes that had completed wind up or were in the winding up process before April 6 2005.
David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he next plans to review the level of funding for (a) the Financial Assistance Scheme and (b) the Pension Protection Fund. [62312]
James Purnell: Following the recent review, on25 May we announced that we will extend eligibility for the financial assistance scheme (FAS) to members of qualifying pension schemes who were within 15 years of their scheme's normal retirement age on 14 May 2004.
Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many applications for Fuel Direct for (a) gas and (b) electricity by eligible consumers were approved by his Department but declined by an energy supplier in (i) each region of England, (ii) Scotland and (iii) Wales in the last full year for which figures are available. [84378]
Mr. Plaskitt: The information is not available.
Mr. Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he next plans to increase funeral payments made by the Social Fund. [86730]
Mr. Plaskitt: Funeral Payments from the social fund cover the cost of certain necessary charges in full; these include fees levied by burial authorities and crematoria. An additional sum of up to £700 is allowed for other funeral expenses, which give the person arranging the funeral the freedom to select items or services they consider appropriate.
Mr. Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what plans he has to reduce employment levels at the Government office site at Heyhouses Lane in St. Annes; and which business areas will be affected; [87606]
(3) when he expects to announce the outcome of his Department’s estates review. [87608]
Mrs. McGuire: My Department intends to make an announcement to staff on the position of its non-London Headquarters estate by the end of July.
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many complaints of (a) bullying and (b) sexual harassment have been investigated in the Department in each of the last three years; and how many complaints have been upheld. [63529]
Mrs. McGuire: The Department for Work and Pensions records complaints relating to bullying and sexual harassment that are formally investigated by the Department. The following table contains information about the number of complaints that were formally investigated in the years 2003 to 2005. The figures in the table relate to the Department and all its businesses.
| Bullying | Sexual harassment | |||
| Number of investigations started | Number upheld | Number of investigations started | Number upheld | |
Mr. Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what response he has made to the safety assessment made by the Nuclear Safety Directorate of Hinkley Point B, Somerset of 3 April 2006; and what action he plans to take. [84450]
Mrs. McGuire: None. Accountability for the safety of the civil nuclear industry rests with the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. Health and Safety Executive’s Nuclear Safety Directorate is the independent nuclear safety regulator and I am satisfied that it will respond appropriately with regard to its own safety assessments.
Mr. Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many under 25-year-olds are in receipt of the shared room rate of the local housing allowance in each of the pathfinder areas. [85609]
Mr. Plaskitt: The information is in the following table.
| Under 25-year-olds in receipt of the shared room rate of the local housing allowance in each of the pathfinder areas | |
| Pathfinder area | Number of recipients |
| (1)
A number less than 25. Note: Numbers are
rounded to the nearest 50 and as such components may not sum to
total. Source: Administrative data,
February
2006. | |
Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he will publish the feasibility reports on identity cards following the Information Commissioner's decision reference FS50083103. [84989]
Mr. Plaskitt: The Department has appealed against the Information Commissioner's decision to an Information Tribunal and we await the outcome.
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his answer of 10 July 2006, Official Report, column 1589W, on incapacity benefit, how many claimants sought help from his Department to find work during the period October 2003 to February 2006. [85719]
Mrs. McGuire Information on the number incapacity benefit claimants seeking help from this Department to find work during the period October 2003 to February 2006 is not available. Data are not held on the type of inquiries made by clients.
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what measures his Department has taken to help into work those in rural areas receiving incapacity benefits; and if he will make a statement. [85879]
Mr. Jim Murphy: All services that are available to all incapacity benefits claimants are available to clients in both rural and urban areas.
Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many incapacity benefit claimants there have been in West Suffolk in each year since 2000. [85500]
Mrs. McGuire: The available information is in the following table:
| Incapacity benefit and severe disablement allowance claimants, in the Suffolk West parliamentary constituency: each November 2000 to 2005 | |
| Number of claimants | |
| Notes:
1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 2. “Claimant”
figures include all incapacity benefit and severe disablement
allowance, including incapacity benefit credits only cases.
Source: DWP Information Directorate, Work and Pensions
Longitudinal Study 100 per cent.
data. | |
Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what financial savings were achieved by Jobcentre Plus in 2005-06 against budget; and if he will make a statement. [86039]
Mr. Jim Murphy: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking what financial savings were achieved by Jobcentre Plus in 2005-06 against budget. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
The financial figures for 2005-06 are currently being audited. The unaudited position for 2005-06 shows an overall saving of £94 million against budget, as set out in the table below.
| £ million | |||
| Budget | Outturn | Saving/(Overspend) | |
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the waiting time is for jobseeker's allowance claims to be processed in (a) the South-West and (b) Somerset from (i) contacting the contact centre and being given an appointment for interview and (ii) interview to receipt of benefit; and if he will make a statement. [63378]
Mr.
Jim Murphy: In June 2006, the average clearance time for
jobseeker’s allowance claims in the south-west region was 17
days, and for Somerset claims was
17 days. The average time taken for the contact centres to return a
customer's call was within the target 48 hours within the region. The
average time between contacting the contact centre and the claim being
taken in the Jobcentre was two
days.
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what special considerations are given to women wearing the veil regarding their suitability for employment when they apply for jobseeker’s allowance; and if he will make a statement. [85016]
Mr. Jim Murphy: There are no special considerations given to a woman’s suitability for employment when wearing a veil or any other specific item of clothing.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to ask the Government Actuary’s Department to make an assessment of the assumptions underlying the projections of (a) public spending and (b) the extent of means testing inCm 6841; and if he will make a statement. [83807]
James Purnell: The assumptions and modelling techniques underpinning the analysis contained in Security in Retirement: towards a new pensions system (Cm 6841) have been developed and refined over a number of years through a process of regular contact and validation with a range of expert organisations. In the past year these have also been scrutinised by the independent Pensions Commission who found them to be broadly comparable with their own analysis.
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people with no recourse to public funds because of their immigration status have national insurance numbers. [84346]
Mr. Plaskitt: The information is not available.
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many new national insurance numbers were issued in the Peterborough city council area in the 12 months to 31 March (a) 2004, (b) 2005 and (c) 2006; and if he will make a statement. [86882]
Mr. Plaskitt: The information is not available in the format requested.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he was informed that national insurance numbers were being issued to (a) illegal immigrants, (b) immigrants with false papers and (c) immigrants whose visas had expired; when the review into this matter was begun; and if he will make a statement [75917]
Mr. Plaskitt: National insurance numbers (NINOs) are only ever allocated when an individual has proved their identity. Individuals who present false documentation would not be allocated a NINO as we would not be satisfied as to their identity.
Mr. Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 30 January 2006, Official Report, column 287W, on national insurance numbers, how many national insurance numbers in issue are allocated to (a) deceased people, (b) those in receipt of benefit outside the UK and (c) others who are abroad. [76025]
Mr. Plaskitt: In order to maintain the integrity of the system (and for benefit purposes) national insurance numbers (NINOs) are not removed. For example, they are retained after a person dies or moves abroad. This is because individuals who move abroad may at some point have a call upon contributions paid while in the UK. In the case of deceased individuals, a partner may make a claim for a contributory benefit, which is dependant on the contribution record of the deceased individual.
The information is in the table.
| Allocation of NINOs to deceased people, those in receipt of benefit outside the UK, and others who are abroad | |
| Million | |
NINOs in issue to those in receipt of benefits outside the UK | |
| Note: These figures are from 2003 and relate to the total number of NINOs in issue at the time. | |
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much has been spent on travel passes for young people on the new deal in each year since 1997; how many passes were issued in each year; and if he will make a statement. [85468]
Mr. Jim Murphy: The New Deal Reduced Rail Fare Scheme was established in 1997 and, in England and Wales, is jointly operated by Jobcentre Plus and the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC). The scheme was set up to provide new deal participants with reduced travel costs whilst on the New Deal programme.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much was spent in each year since 1998 on the nationwide network of mentors to advise young people on getting back into work; how many advisers were employed in each year; and how many young people they assisted into work in each year. [85550]
Mr.
Jim Murphy: Mentoring was introduced
into new deal provision to help those people who may need additional
support to that offered by their new deal personal adviser. New deal
mentoring is available at
Jobcentre Plus District Manager's discretion, depending on the needs of
the local labour market, and can supplement and complement new deal
personal adviser support given to new deal
participants.
Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions why he applied for a temporal limitation procedure in relation to the Amicus-Community trade union European Court of Justice occupational pensions case. [78019]
James Purnell [holding answer 16 June 2006]: The Government’s position is that the United Kingdom’s interpretation of article 8 of directive 80/987/EEC is consistent with the text of the directive, the legislative history, the case law of the European Court of Justice and, until recently represented, the view of the European Commission.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many parliamentary questions tabled to his Department were awaiting a reply on10 July 2006; which of those had been waiting longer than (a) two and (b) three weeks for a reply; and what the reason for the delay was in each case. [85209]
Mrs. McGuire: The Department received 4,124 ordinary, named day and Lords parliamentary questions in the 12 month period to 30 June.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 5 July 2006, Official Report, column 1171W, on pension credit, why production of the pension credit wallets ceased. [85915]
James Purnell: Production of the pension credit ‘plastic wallets’ ceased because there was sufficient stock to meet likely demand.
Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether all pensioners are entitled to have their pension credit paid into a Post Office card account. [86066]
Mr. Plaskitt: Pensioners who satisfy the terms and conditions set by Post Office Ltd. for opening a Post Office card account can have their pension credit payments made this way.
Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many individual beneficiaries of pension credit there were in each ward of Newcastle upon Tyne in November (a) 2003, (b) 2004 and (c) 2005; and what the average weekly payment was in each case. [86859]
James Purnell: The information requested is in the following table.
| Pension credit individual beneficiaries and average weekly payments for wards in Newcastle-upon-Tyne Central | ||||||
| November 2003 | November 2004 | November 2005 | ||||
| Ward name | Individual beneficiaries | Average weekly payments (£) | Individual beneficiaries | Average weekly payments (£) | Individual beneficiaries | Average weekly payments (£) |
| Notes: 1. The number of recipients are rounded to a multiple of five and average payments to the nearest penny therefore ward totals do not always sum to area totals. 2. Wards are based on 2003 ward boundaries. 3. The number of individual beneficiaries includes both claimants and their partners. Source: DWP Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study (WPLS) 100 per cent. data. | ||||||
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the take-up rate of benefits by pensioners was in each year since 1997. [85549]
James Purnell: Take-up of retirement pension cannot be calculated accurately. However, 98 per cent. of pensioner benefit units were in receipt of some state pension in 2004-05. Those not receiving may include pensioners deferring their state pension or misreporting their income when asked.
Information on the take-up of other benefits is not available.
John Penrose: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) sets of regulations and (b) codes of practice under the Pensions Act 2004 due to take effect from 6th April 2006 have not yet been published in final form. [48096]
James Purnell: The information is as follows:
Regulations that came into force on 28 March 2006:
The Occupational Pension Schemes (Cross-Border) Regulations 2006 (amendment).
The Occupational Pension Schemes (Pension Protection Levy and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2006
The Occupational Pension Schemes (Fraud Compensation Levy) Regulations 2006
The Occupational Pension Schemes (Levies) (Amendment) Regulations 2006
The Pension Protection Fund (Valuation of the Pension Protection Fund) Regulations 2006.
The Pension Protection Fund (Administration of Compensation) Regulations 2006
The Pension Protection Fund (Compensation) (Amendment) Regulations 2006
The Pension Protection Fund (Entry Rules) (Amendments) Regulations 2006
The Pension Protection Fund (Assumption of Responsibility, Discharge of Liabilities and Equal Treatment) Regulations 2006
The Pension Protection Fund (Reviewable Matters) and (Review and Reconsideration of Reviewable Matters) (Amendment) Regulations 2006
The Pension Protection Fund (Provision of Information) (Amendment) Regulations 2006
The Occupational Pension Schemes (Member Nominated Trustees and Directors) Regulations 2006
The Occupational Pension Schemes (Modification of Subsisting Rights) Regulations 2006
The Occupational Pension Schemes (Trustees' Knowledge and Understanding) Regulations 2006
The Occupational and Personal Pensions (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2006
The Occupational Pension Schemes (Payments to Employer) Regulations 2006.
Late Payments (Money Purchase)
Late Payments (Personal Pension)
Trustees Knowledge and Understanding
Reasonable Periods in Disclosure
Early Leavers
Member Nominated Trustees/Member Nominated Directors was laid in its final form on 13 July 2006.
The following codes of practice are currently being developed:
Modification of Past Rights
Internal Controls.
Mr.
Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of
State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the total number of
pensioners who would receive savings credit
under the current system but will not under the proposals in the White
Paper security in retirement, towards a new pensions system in
(a) 2010, (b) 2020, (c) 2030, (d) 2040 and
(e) 2050.
[78004]
James Purnell: Under our reforms, more people will be receiving state pensions based on their national insurance records, and there will be a more generous basic state pension due to the restoration of the earnings link. This provides a solid foundation for private saving. Incentives are further enhanced by reducing the growth of the savings credit.
| Table 1: Projected numbers of pensioner households in selected years that may receive savings credit under the current system projected forward, and that may receive it under the white paper proposals | |||
| Number of pensioner households that may receive savings credit under the current system projected forward (million) | Number of pensioner households that may receive savings credit under the white paper proposals (million) | Difference | |
| Notes: 1. Projections of numbers receiving savings credit in the future are subject to a range of uncertainties and a number of factors including policies on uprating different benefits, and assumptions on rates of take-up. 2. The assumptions applied here are consistent with those that underpin published long-run expenditure projections, and are applied to projections of the number of pensioner households estimated to be eligible for the savings credit. 3. The projections of recipients of the savings credit under the current system and the reform proposals are calculated by applying assumed rates of take-up, care should be taken when interpreting these projections. In particular data deficiencies make it difficult to be confident in the split between the number of people who may be in receipt of only the guarantee credit and those who may be in receipt of both the guarantee credit and the savings credit. Also the projections are sensitive to the assumed take-up rates. 4. Estimates of the proportion of pensioner households eligible to the savings credit are the mid-points of projections taken from two separate micro-simulation models. Modelling of the reform proposals does not assume any increase in private saving from the introduction of personal accounts, which would further reduce the numbers eligible for the savings credit. 5. The projections of the number and proportion of pensioner households eligible for the savings credit are sensitive to modelling assumptions and to projected changes in the distribution of pensioner incomes. 6. The projections of the number of pensioner households eligible for the savings credit are derived from the projected proportions eligible and projections of the number of pensioner households in Great Britain. 7. The reform projections assume: continued earnings uprating of the standard guarantee credit; the savings credit maximum is uprated by earnings from 2008 and then by prices from 2015; earnings uprating of the basic state pension from 2012; measures to improve coverage of the basic state pension described in the White Paper. 8. The projections under the current system assume that basic state pension is uprated in line with prices and the standard guarantee credit with earnings each year. It should be noted that there is a government commitment to uprate the standard guarantee credit with earnings until 2008. Treasury projections for the current system assume price uprating of the standard guarantee credit beyond 2008. 9. Estimates are calibrated to the mid-points of the 2004-05 National Statistics range estimates of non-eligibility to pension credit, which adjust 2004-05 Family Resources Survey data to take account of possible biases in reporting. Although the estimates here are not presented as ranges, they are subject to a margin of uncertainty. 10. The projections are rounded to the nearest 50,000. Totals are rounded separately so components may not sum to totals. | |||
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people were estimated to be living in poverty in (a) rural and (b) non-rural areas in each year since 1997; and what each figure represents per 1,000 population. [85942]
Mr. Jim Murphy: The following table shows the number of all individuals living in households which are situated in either rural or urban areas of England and with household incomes below the 60 per cent. threshold of the contemporary median. The threshold of 60 per cent. of median household income is the most commonly used in reporting trends in low income. The figures are on a before and after housing costs basis for the years 1996-97 to 2004-05. The urban/rural marker information is not available on a consistent basis on the data for Scotland and Wales.
| Number of all individuals falling below 60 per cent. of the contemporary median income, by urban/rural: England, 1997-98 to 2004-05 | ||||||
| Before housing costs | After housing costs | Total number of all individuals (million) | ||||
| Urban | Rural | Urban | Rural | Urban | Rural | |
| (1
)Total (2) Total (3) Total (4 )Total (5) Total (6) Total (7) Total (8) Total Source: Households Below Average Income (HBAI). The main source for HBAI is the Family Resources Survey (FRS). | ||||||
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of (a) adults and (b) children were living in poverty in (i) England, (ii) Peterborough constituency and (iii) the Peterborough city council in each year since 1997. [85971]
Mr. Jim Murphy: Specific information regarding low income for Great Britain is detailed in "Households Below Average Income (HBAI) 1994-95 to 2004-05", which is available in the Library. The main source for HBAI is the Family Resources Survey (FRS).
| Percentage of adults living in households with less than 60 per cent. of contemporary median household income, years 1995-96 to 2004-05; England | ||
| Before housing costs | After housing costs | |
| Note: Figures are provided using a three-year moving averages, as single-year estimates do not provide a robust guide to year on year changes. Hence, figures are not consistent with previously published single-year estimates and there may be differences in changes over time. Source: FRS | ||
| Percentage of children living in households with less than 60 per cent. of contemporary median household income, years 1995-96 to 2004-05; England | ||
| Before housing costs | After housing costs | |
| Note: Figures are provided using a three-year moving averages, as single-year estimates do not provide a robust guide to year on year changes. Hence, figures are not consistent with previously published single-year estimates and there may be differences in changes over time. Source: FRS | ||
Mr. Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of workers who suffered from occupational exposure to (a) methyl bromide and (b) sulphuric acid in the latest year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [85606]
Mrs. McGuire: Available information via reports to HSE under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) in 2004-05 revealed 19 injuries to workers where reports mentioned the term “sulphuric acid” but no injuries mentioning “methyl bromide”. Of these injuries, 13 were recorded as burns and four as asphyxiations or poisonings. This information from RIDDOR is limited by significant under-reporting of relevant cases to HSE and local authorities.
| THOR 2000 onwards: cases of injury and illness attributed to sulphuric acid and methyl bromide | ||
| Agent | Illness or injury | Number of reported cases |
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what measures his Department has taken to tackle short-term seasonal unemployment in rural areas; and if he will make a statement. [85922]
Mr. Jim Murphy: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 10 July 2006, Official Report, column 1609W.
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much the Government plan to spend on promoting stakeholder pensions in the next five years; and if he will make a statement. [86259]
James Purnell: We will continue to provide public information in order to help individuals make informed choices about saving for a pension, including information about stakeholder pensions.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on what occasions a statutory instrument sponsored by his Department has been reported by the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments as defective since October 2005. [85191]
Mrs. McGuire: On three occasions in the Committee's fourth, twenty-second and twenty-fifth reports.
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many women in (a) England, (b) the Tees Valley and (c) Middlesbrough, South and East Cleveland have received the Sure Start maternity grant since 2001. [87971]
Mr. Plaskitt: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the tables.
| Sure Start maternity grants for England | |
| Number of awards | |
| Sure Start maternity grants for Tees Social Fund District | |
| Number of awards | |
| Sure Start maternity grants for area covered by Tees Valley Jobcentre Plus District | |
| Number of awards | |
| Notes: 1. Data is not available by parliamentary constituency but only by Jobcentre Plus District, and, before Jobcentre Plus Districts were used for the administration of the social fund, by social fund district. 2. Middlesbrough, South and East Cleveland parliamentary constituency used to be part of Tees social fund district and is now part of Tees Valley Jobcentre Plus District. The latter was formed in November 2002 by merging part of Durham social fund district with Tees social fund district. Thus data in the third table is not comparable with that in the second table. 3. Figures are for all awards, irrespective of whether the award was made to the mother or her partner. 4. Some women will have received more than one sure start maternity grant since 2001-02. 5. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10. Source: DWP Social Fund Policy, Budget and Management Information System | |
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people he estimates are not claiming benefits to which they are entitled, broken down by (a) age, (b) sex and (c) region; what his estimate is of the total sum involved; and what steps he is taking to reduce that number. [87318]
Mr. Plaskitt: Information is not available broken down below national level. For the available information I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave my right hon. Friend the Member for North Tyneside (Mr. Byers) on 3 March 2006, Official Report, column 1034W.
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what publications have been provided by civil servants as background reading for his ministerial duties since taking office; and if he will make a statement. [87590]
The Deputy Prime Minister: I am provided with the publications necessary to enable me to fulfil my ministerial duties.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether the Anschutz Entertainment Group is a casino developer. [86964]
The Deputy Prime Minister: On the company’s website, AEG are described as “sports and entertainment presenters.”
Anne Main: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what role he has in relation to Government policy on (a) gambling and (b) planning. [84719]
The Deputy Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove) on 19 July 2006, Official Report, column 302.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what meetings he has had in the last five years with (a) Margaret Hotchkiss, (b) John Allison, (c) Tobin Prior and (d) Howard Kerzner. [85548]
The Deputy Prime Minister: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister was created in June 2002. Information prior to this time is not available. Since that time, I have not had any meetings with the persons named.
Mr. Atkinson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 3 July 2006, Official Report, columns 788-89W, on his ministerial office and staff, how many members of staff have (a) resigned, (b) been made redundant and (c) been dismissed from his private office since May. [85058]
The Deputy Prime Minister [holding answer 13 July 2006]: None.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many times his ministerial office has been decorated in each of the last five years. [87651]
The Deputy Prime Minister: My office in 26 Whitehall has not been decorated since I moved into it in September 2002.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what responsibilities he has in relation to the implementation of Government policy on (a) the international slave trade and (b) the commemoration of the abolition of slavery. [85559]
The Deputy Prime Minister: I do not have any responsibility for the implementation of policy in relation to the international slave trade. However, the hon. Member may be aware that I chair the 2007 Bicentenary Advisory Group, which brings together stakeholders from across the cultural, faith and community sectors to discuss how best we can maximise their organisations’ contributions to the bicentenary.
David Simpson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister on how many occasions he has visited each region in an official capacity in the last 12 months. [83976]
The Deputy Prime Minister: The number of visits I have made to each of the English regions in the past 12 months is shown in the table.
| Number of visits | |
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the disposal of nuclear waste; and if he will make a statement. [87085]
The Deputy Prime Minister: I have regular discussions with ministerial colleagues on a wide range of subjects. Information relating to such discussions, including Cabinet and its committees, is generally not disclosed, as to do so could harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister for what purpose he visited the Star City Casino in Sydney on 28 November 2004. [85696]
The Deputy Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Hammersmith and Fulham (Mr. Hands) on 19 July 2006, Official Report, column 301W.
Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what role he has in relation to Government policy on planning. [87138]
The Deputy Prime Minister: Responsibility for planning policy rests with the Department for Communities and Local Government.
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects the Northern Ireland Charities Commissioners office to be fully functional. [87127]
Mr. Hanson: On 17 July I launched a public consultation about proposed new Northern Ireland charities legislation which will, inter alia, set up a Charity Commission for Northern Ireland. The 12 week consultation process will close on 13 October 2006. Following this the responses will be considered and where feasible account will be taken of these but we must ensure that we put in place adequate regulation and governance arrangements.
to have legislation approved early in 2007;
to enable the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland to be established by mid-2007;and
to enable the Northern Ireland Register of Charities to reach initial operational capability by end-2007.
Dr. Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether his Department plans to extend the Department for Regional Development's concessionary fares scheme for pupils returning to school in the sixth form. [86571]
David Cairns: The Northern Ireland concessionary fares scheme currently provides half fare travel on public transport for all children up to the 30 June after they become 16, that is, until the end of their period of compulsory attendance at school. On 26 June 2006, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland launched a review of the scheme. This review will consider the feasibility and desirability of options for extending the provision of concessionary travel to additional categories, such as pupils returning to school in the 6th form.
Mrs.
Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for
Northern Ireland how much his Department has spent on IT systems in
each year since 1997; what the purpose of each system is; what the
outturn against
planned expenditure of each system was; and what the outturn time for
implementation against planned time was.
[41314]
Paul Goggins: The following table gives information on IT projects costing in excess of £1 million within the Northern Ireland Office Core, its agencies, the Bloody Sunday Inquiry and the Northern Ireland legal offices (Director of Public Prosecutions and Crown Solicitors Office).
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) EU foreign nationals and (b) non-EU foreign nationals have been employed in (i) each department in Northern Ireland and (ii) the Northern Ireland Office in each of the last five years; what vetting procedures are in place for each category of staff; and whether this includes liaison with foreign law enforcement agencies. [68005]
Mr. Hanson: Recruitment Service of the Department of Finance and Personnel has responsibility for providing a vetting service for all employees appointed to the Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS).
| Financial Year | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | |||||
| Classification | EU | Non-EU | EU | Non-EU | EU | Non-EU | EU | Non-EU | EU | Non-EU |
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the simulated average effective tax rate that would notionally have been levied on domestic rates bills in respect of the (a) district and (b) regional rate in (i) Northern Ireland as a whole and (ii) each district in Northern Ireland in 2006-07. [86816]
Mr. Hanson: The simulated average district rate for 2006-07 is 0.00258 or £2.58 per £1,000 of capital value, while the regional rate is simulated to be 0.00340 or £3.40 per £,000 of capital value. This gives an overall average rate of 0.00598 or £5.98 per £1,000 of capital value. This estimate simulates what domestic rates would have been in 2006-07 had capital values been in place. Individual district rates are shown in the table.
| Simulation of domestic capital value rates for 2006-07 | ||||
| District rate (pence) | Regional rate (pence) | Total rate (pence) | Total rate per £1,000 of CV | |
| Notes:
1. Based on VLA domestic revaluation data at 26 May 2006. 2.
Missing or zero capital values are omitted. 3. Rates based on
2006-07 rate revenues. 4. Simulates what domestic rates would
have been in 2006-07 had capital values been in place. 5. For
example, the average bill for a domestic property valued at
£112,000 would be: 112,000 x 0.00598 =
£669.80. | ||||
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the latest estimate is of the average domestic rates bill per dwelling that will be paid in 2007-08 in (a) Northern Ireland as a whole and (b) each district in Northern Ireland. [86819]
Mr. Hanson: The average rate bill for domestic properties in Northern Ireland in 2007-08 is estimated at £705. This figure takes into account the planned 6 per cent. increase in the regional rate between 2006-07 and 2007-08, but also assumes that the district rate set by councils will also increase by an average of 6 per cent. during this time.
| Average domestic rate bills (projected) 2007-08 | |
| £ | |
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average domestic rates bill per dwelling was in (a) Northern Ireland as a whole and (b) each district in Northern Ireland in 2006-07. [86820]
Mr. Hanson: The average domestic rate liability for properties in Northern Ireland in 2006-07, combining both regional and district rates, is estimated at £668.
The following table provides the information for each district council in Northern Ireland.
| Average domestic rate liability 2006-07 (£) | |
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the latest estimate is of the net revenue to be raised from domestic rates in (a) 2006-07 and (b) 2007-08. [86821]
Mr. Hanson: Domestic rates consists of two elements, the Regional Rate, set by the Secretary of State on a uniform basis across Northern Ireland, and the district rate, set separately by each district council relevant to the location of the property The current estimates of total revenue to be raised from domestic rates in 2006-07 and 2007-08 are detailed in the table as follows.
| Total estimated domestic rate revenue | ||
| £ million | ||
| ( 1) Regional rate | ( 2) District rate | |
| (1)
Based on domestic Regional Rate increases of 19 per cent. in 2006-07
and 6 per cent. in 2007-08 as set out in Northern Ireland Priorities
and Budget
2006-08. (2) District councils set their rate in February of the preceding year so figure for 2007-08 not yet available. | ||
These estimates will be subject to revision as information is updated.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the expected change in the regional domestic rate levy is for 2007-08; and what the change was in (a) 2006-07 and (b) 2005-06. [86844]
Mr. Hanson: The expected change in the regional domestic rate levy for 2007-08 is £21.2 million. The estimated changes in (a) 2006-07 and (b) 2005-06 are £42.1 million and £26.3 million respectively.
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average length of time a person waited to sit a driving test at each test centre in Northern Ireland was in the last period for which figures are available. [86301]
David Cairns: Average waiting times for practical driving tests during week ending 15 July 2006 for each test centre are shown in the following table.
| Test centre | Average waiting time (weeks) |
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people have sat and (a) failed their first driving test and (b) passed first time at each centre in Northern Ireland in the last three years. [86302]
David Cairns: Information on the number of individual candidates involved is not available. However, details of the number of tests conducted in the period 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2006 are as follows.
| Number | |||
| Centre | Tests conducted | Failed first test | Passed first test |
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people have been charged with the intention to supply (a) cannabis, (b) cocaine, (c) crack cocaine and (d) other drugs in the Province in the last three years, broken down by Westminster constituency. [86296]
Paul Goggins: The information requested is provided as follows. The Police Service of Northern Ireland collates information according to district command unit and cannot supply information broken down by Westminster constituency.
| Persons charged for intent to supply: | |||||||||
| (a) Cannabis | (b) Cocaine | (c) Crack cocaine | |||||||
| DCU | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 |
| (1)
(c) One person was charged with intent to supply crack cocaine in
Antrim DCU in 2003-04. (2) As one person can be
charged for supply of several different drug types, the total number of
persons charged with intent to supply cannot be derived by adding the
totals for cannabis, cocaine and others together.
Note: Please note other includes Amphetamine,
Steroids, Benzodiazepines, Heroin, LSD, MDMA (Ecstasy), Methadone,
Morphine, Psilocin (Magic Mushrooms) and Stanozolol. Should a person be
charged with intent to supply more than one of these drug types, they
are only included
once. | |||||||||
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether his Department (a) is committed to the achievement of environmental management to ISO 14001 standard and (b) has been externally certified as in compliance with that standard; and if he will make a statement. [81188]
David Cairns: The Northern Ireland Sustainable Development Strategy, published on 9 May 2006 identifies the implementation of environmental management systems as a mechanism that will reinforce progress made, and being made, in the improvement of the sustainable development profile of the Northern Ireland Government Estate.
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action he plans to take to promote the welfare of greyhounds in the Province. [87994]
David Cairns: Under the Welfare of Animals Act (Northern Ireland) 1972, all animals are protected from unnecessary cruelty or suffering, although there are no specific provisions on the welfare of racing greyhounds.
Dr. Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the range and nature is of language support services available to (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in Northern Ireland; and how much was available for language support services in each Education and Library Board area in each of the last four academic years. [86564]
Maria Eagle: The Education and Library Boards (ELBs) are responsible for ensuring that appropriate support arrangements are in place for children who have significant difficulty with English as an additional language (EAL). The range and nature of language support services available to both primary and secondary schools varies within each ELB area. Some ELBs provide peripatetic teaching staff, some offer schools the opportunity to “buy in” peripatetic services, whilst others provide support through advisers. In addition, some Boards make available interpreting services in certain languages.
| Allocation | ||||
| £ | ||||
| Board | 2003-04 | 2004-05 (Allocated gradually) | 2005-06 | 2006-07 |
| Allocations to schools | ||||
| £ | ||||
| 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | |
| (1
)BELB were the only funding authority to distribute resources to
schools from an EAL factor within its Local Management Schools formula,
prior to the introduction of Common Funding from
2005-06. | ||||
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the remuneration is for the chief executives of local councils in Northern Ireland; and what remuneration is proposed for the new chief executive posts. [86946]
David Cairns: The remuneration for chief executives of district councils is negotiated by the Joint Negotiating Committee for Chief Executives Northern Ireland. Currently their salary scales range from £64,185 to £109,503, however, actual salary costs are not held centrally. The issue of remuneration for the new local government chief executive posts will be considered as part of the process of implementing the Review of Public Administration.
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many recently qualified teachers in Northern Ireland have failed to gain a post one year after qualifying; and if he will make a statement. [86309]
Maria Eagle: Destination of Leavers from higher education data are collected by HESA six months after graduation but not thereafter, therefore no data are available one year after graduation. Of the 704 teachers who qualified from Northern Ireland higher education institutions in 2004-05 and had Destination of Leavers data returned to HESA, 104 had not gained a teaching professional post six months after graduation.
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what barriers he has identified to effective out-of-classroom education in secondary schools in Northern Ireland; and what steps he is taking to overcome them. [86917]
Maria Eagle: The Department of Education has not carried out any formal assessment of the barriers to effective out-of-classroom education in secondary schools in Northern Ireland. Delivery of the curriculum, including out-of-classroom learning, is a matter for schools to determine, with the support of the Education and Library Boards.
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will issue guidance on out-of classroom education as part of the Northern Ireland secondary school curriculum; [86918]
Maria Eagle: The Department of Education specifies the minimum curricular content that schools are required to provide but does not specify how the curriculum should be delivered. It is therefore a matter for schools, with the support of the Education and Library Boards, to determine what out-of-classroom learning opportunities they provide. As part of the Northern Ireland Sustainable Development Strategy, Government have already committed to promoting the use of the Education and Library Boards’ “Education for Sustainable Development Good Practice Guide” in all schools. This guide includes information on education outside the classroom.
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions his Department has had with the Education and Library Board chief executives to promote outdoor learning in secondary schools in Northern Ireland. [86919]
Maria Eagle: There have been no meetings between the Department and the chief executives of the education and library boards, specifically, to discuss the promotion of outdoor learning.
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many children are awaiting an initial paediatric cardiology assessment in the Province. [74628]
Paul Goggins [pursuant to the reply, 6 June 2006, Official Report c. 559W]: I am now in a position to provide the information requested.
| Health and Social Service Trust | Number of Children waiting for an initial outpatient paediatric cardiology appointment at 26 May 2006 |
| (1)
Altnagelvin Group and Craigavon Group trusts provided numbers waiting
at 30 April 2006. (2) Subsequent to when this answer
was initially prepared, Ulster Community and Hospitals Trust provided
numbers waiting at31 May 2006.
Source: Health and Social Services
Trusts | |
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which bodies each Department in Northern Ireland, including the Northern Ireland Office, consults (a) formally and (b) informally on parliamentary (i) questions and (ii) draft answers on Northern Ireland matters tabled by hon. Members from (A) Northern Ireland and (B) constituencies in Great Britain. [88253]
Mr. Hain: When drafting responses to parliamentary questions, my officials contact whichever bodies are necessary to provide the correct information. These bodies range from government agencies, non-departmental public bodies and other Whitehall departments to outside organisations in receipt of public funds. These contacts can be on a formal or informal basis. Where appropriate, I will ask those bodies with operational autonomy to write to hon. Members in response to parliamentary questions. Apart from those instances, all answers to hon. Member’s questions are cleared at ministerial level.
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of pensioners’ homes did not meet the Decent Homes Standard in the last period for which figures are available. [87286]
Mr. Hanson: The information is not available. The Decent Homes Standard applies only to social housing. The Interim House Condition Survey identified 32,000 homes as failing to meet the Standard but did not disaggregate the figures into particular age categories.
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the number of pensioners in Northern Ireland who have home internet access. [87290]
Mr. Hanson: While it is currently not possible to specify the exact number of pensioners in Northern Ireland who have home internet access, the most recent NISRA Omnibus Survey (March 2006) indicates that some 11 per cent. of respondents aged 65 and over in Northern Ireland claim to access the internet from home. This rises to 14 per cent. who regularly make use of the internet and 24 per cent. who have access to an internet-enabled PC.
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the average amount pensioners in Northern Ireland spend on (a) food and non-alcoholic drink, (b) electricity and (c) fuel each week. [87292]
Mr. Hanson: Average weekly expenditure for pensioner households in Northern Ireland on the following commodities/services are as follows:
| Expenditure (£) | |
| Source:
Northern Ireland Expenditure and Food Survey (EPS)
2004-05. | |
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many and what percentage of pensioner households in each parliamentary constituency in Northern Ireland are classified as fuel poor. [87293]
Mr. Hanson: The 2004 Interim House Condition Survey collected fuel poverty information on a Northern Ireland wide basis. Due to the small sample size it is not possible to break down the information into parliamentary constituency or district council area. The Survey did, however, indicate that 54 per cent. (82,310) of fuel poor households are headed by someone aged 60 or over.
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of pensioners in Northern Ireland did not take up their eligibility to (a) pension credit and (b) housing benefit in each of the last five years; and what steps he is taking to ensure pensioners are informed of their benefit entitlements. [87294]
Mr. Hanson: It is not possible to provide estimates of pensioners in Northern Ireland who did not take up their eligibility to pension credit and housing benefit.
All new PC claimants are now also invited to apply for HB when making their claim for PC.
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to his answer of 17 July 2006, Official Report, column 18W, on police, whether the cheque written by the Northern Ireland Police Fund to L’Estrange and Brett Solicitors was queried by his Department (a) as part of a financial return to his Department and (b) at the end of the financial year in question. [87743]
Paul Goggins: The Department has not queried any details contained in either financial returns or end of year financial reports received from the Northern Ireland Police Fund for the financial year in question.
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many resignations of senior police officers in each district command unit have occurred in the last two years; and if he will make a statement. [86300]
Paul Goggins: The total number of senior PSNI officers (inspector rank and above) that have resigned from the service within the period 1 July 2004 to 30 June 2006 is three. This figure includes one chief inspector from Newtownabbey DCU and two inspectors—one from Lisburn DCU and one from Magherafelt.
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to his answer of 17 July 2006, Official Report, column 20W, on police, when it was decided to replace staff recruited externally with Northern Ireland Office (NIO) staff in the Northern Ireland Police Fund; who made the decision to replace staff recruited externally with NIO staff in the Northern Ireland Police Fund; and for what reason it was decided to replace staff recruited externally with NIO staff in the Northern Ireland Police Fund. [87684]
Paul Goggins: Recruitment of staff to the Northern Ireland Police Fund is a matter for the fund.
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many fatalities have occurred on railway lines in Northern Ireland in the last three years; what action has been taken (a) to secure access to train lines and (b) to improve safety at level crossings; and if he will make a statement. [86304]
David Cairns: Translink have advised that there have been six fatalities on the railway lines in Northern Ireland over the last three years.
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what initiatives are in place to promote recycling awareness in primary schools in Northern Ireland. [87130]
David Cairns: Significant progress has been made across all sectors to integrate resource and waste management into the teaching curriculum for Northern Ireland primary schools.
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to his answer of 17 July 2006, Official Report, column 22W, on redundancy, if the redundancy terms granted to employees of the Northern Ireland Police Fund who were laid off were (a) forwarded to the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) and (b) approved by the NIO in advance of their being agreed with staff. [87683]
Paul Goggins: Redundancy terms for staff employed by the Northern Ireland Police Fund are matters for the fund.
Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the registered charities in Northern Ireland. [87538]
Mr.
Hanson: At present, charities in Northern Ireland are not
registered. On 17 July 2006 I launched a
public consultation about proposed new Northern Ireland charities
legislation which will, inter alia, create a Northern Ireland Register
of Charities and require all charities operating in Northern Ireland to
register.
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will introduce a medal to mark the bravery and service of Royal National Lifeboat Institution volunteers on the seas around Northern Ireland. [65092]
Mr. Hain: Her Majesty The Queen is advised by the Committee on the grant of honours, decorations and medals on all matters to do with honours and medals. My department has no plans to recommend the introduction of such a medal to the Committee.
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many deaths occurred on Northern Ireland’s roads involving (a) cyclists and (b) motorbike riders and pillion passengers over the last three years, broken down by Westminster constituency. [86320]
Paul Goggins: The information requested is provided as follows. The Police Service of Northern Ireland collates information according to district command unit and cannot supply information broken down by Westminster constituency.
| Number of motorcycle, pedal cycle and pillion passenger fatalities, 2003 to 2005 | |||||||||
| 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | |||||||
| DCU | Pillion | Motor cyclist | Pedal cyclist | Pillion | Motor cyclist | Pedal cyclist | Pillion | Motor cyclist | Pedal cyclist |
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many unfilled vacancies there are for science teachers in secondary schools within each education and library board. [86921]
Maria Eagle: Since vacancies are identified by boards of governors in accordance with the staffing complement they determine under LMS, the information is not currently held by the Department of Education nor by the relevant employing authorities, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the risk assessment system is for secondary school trips in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [86922]
Maria Eagle: The Department advises schools to carry out a risk assessment when they are planning trips. In 2002 the Department issued comprehensive guidance to schools entitled “Health and Safety of Pupils on Educational Visits”, which was published by the then Department for Education and Employment (DfEE). The Education and Library Boards provided their own guidance to schools in 2004. Both sets of guidance provide advice on carrying out risk assessment, including evaluating potential risks, putting control measures or mitigations in place and informing all relevant people.
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of schools in Northern Ireland provided two hours of sports participation for pupils in the last period for which figures are available. [85440]
Maria Eagle: The Department of Education does not collect information on the amount of time schools allocate to any area within the curriculum, therefore the information requested is not available. It is a matter for individual schools to determine how much time they allocate to any subject but the Department has advised schools to provide at least two hours of physical education, including sport, each week.
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to ensure newly-built public buildings in Northern Ireland incorporate energy efficient measures. [80950]
Mr. Hanson: A number of steps are being taken to ensure newly built public buildings in NI use energy efficient measures. These are:
(i) A revision to the NI Building Regulations will apply from the end of November 2006. This will mean an improvement of around 40 per cent. on current energy standards.
(ii) The Achieving Excellence Agenda for Construction. Under this agenda, a Policy Framework for Construction Procurement has been developed and implemented. The policy framework requires that, for all new Government buildings, energy efficiency measures over and above those required by the building regulations should be considered. These measures include low carbon design, energy targets, whole life costing and energy efficiency and management. In addition all new Government buildings should minimise energy used in construction and should aim to achieve a rating of Excellent using the Building Research Establishment Environment Assessment Method (BREEAM).
Dr. Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what strategies his Department has in place to (a) combat racism and (b) promote tolerance between different ethnic groups within Northern Ireland. [86551]
Mr. Hanson: The Government's Racial Equality Strategy for Northern Ireland and A Shared Future (Policy and Strategic Framework for Good Relations in Northern Ireland) provides the framework for Government and wider civic society to combat racism and sectarianism and to promote good relations. Both are supported by action plans which set out the practical steps to be taken by Government Departments and their agencies to promote racial equality and good relations.
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many tourists he expects to come to Northern Ireland in 2006; and how many came in each of the last three years. [86322]
Maria Eagle: The Northern Ireland Tourist Board's (NITB) Tourism Barometer implemented in June indicates a good 2006 performance to date by all tourism business sectors and a positive outlook for the summer period. Accommodation occupancy surveys also support evidence of a positive start to the year. 2006 visitor number forecasts for full year are not yet available. The table indicates the number of visitors in the last three years.
| Visitor Performance, 2003-05 | |
| Number | |
Dr. Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many untaxed vehicles are estimated to be on Northern Ireland's roads. [86578]
David Cairns: A nationwide Vehicle Excise Duty Evasion Survey was undertaken by the Department for Transport during June 2005. The results showed that the vehicle excise evasion rate in traffic in Northern Ireland had fallen from 7.2 per cent. in the 2004 survey to 5.4 per cent. in 2005.
Dr. Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many untaxed cars have been removed from the roads in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years. [86583]
David Cairns: The number of untaxed vehicles clamped/seized from the roads in Northern Ireland in each of the last five operational years is:
| Number | |
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many vocational training places are available in Northern Ireland for 16 year olds; and how many places were filled in 2004-05. [85442]
Maria Eagle: The Jobskills programme provides the guarantee of a training place for all 16 and 17-year-old school leavers wishing to avail of the opportunity for vocational training. It is not possible to split the data between 16 and 17-year-olds, however, in the 2004-05 financial year, 6,985 16 and 17-year-olds commenced the Jobskills programme.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what average water tax (a) lump sum figure and (b) capital value levy will be charged on domestic households in (i) Northern Ireland as a whole and (ii) each district in Northern Ireland in 2007-08; [86814]
David Cairns: The currently available capital value data enable information to be provided on the estimated average unmeasured bills for properties throughout Northern Ireland and within each local government district. The variable charge element of the bill is based on property capital value.
| Estimated average unmeasured bills for Northern Ireland domestic properties, 2007-08 | |||||||
| Water charge | Sewerage charge | ||||||
| Standing | Average variable | Total water | Standing | Average variable | Total sewerage | Overall total water and sewerage charges | |
| Note:
Totals might not add up due to
rounding. | |||||||
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what income has been received from the release of sections of the Online 1901 Census in the last 12 months; and if she will make a statement. [86284]
Vera Baird: The National Archives has not released sections of the 1901 Census in the last 12 months.
The whole of the 1901 Census was released to the public in January 2002.
Annette Brooke: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what average time was taken to obtain a court date from the time of application for an adoption placement order in (a) London and (b) other parts of England in the latest period for which figures are available. [87149]
Ms Harman: The average time taken to obtain a court date from the time of application in adoption cases over the last two financial years is as follows:
| (a) London | |
| Weeks | |
| (b) Nationally | |
| Weeks | |
Keith Vaz: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what steps she is taking to reduce delays in the coroners’ service. [84516]
Ms Harman: There are measures in the draft Coroners Bill which will assist coroners to operate more effectively, in particular the appointment of a Chief Coroner to provide national leadership and to introduce national standards, including on the timely hearing of inquests. The Chief Coroner will have oversight of the workload of coroners and, subject to the views of relatives and other interested parties and taking account of the requirements of the new coroners charter for bereaved people, he or she will be able to reallocate cases to reduce the length of time it takes for an investigation to be completed. The Chief Coroner will make an annual report to the Lord Chancellor on the performance of the coroner system and, in turn, the Lord Chancellor will ensure the report is laid before Parliament. A Coronial Advisory Council will also be appointed to provide advice, and make recommendations, to the Chief Coroner and Lord Chancellor on any matters relating to the operation of the coroner system.
Keith Vaz: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what mechanisms are available to members of the public to make complaints about coroners. [84576]
Ms Harman: In the event that a complainant is unable to resolve the matter with the coroner, a complaint about the personal conduct of a coroner can be made to the Office for Judicial Complaints. Coroners were brought into the remit of the disciplinary provisions of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 on 3 April 2006. Regulations made under the Act, entitled “Judicial Discipline (Prescribed Procedures) Regulations 2006”, set out the responsibilities of the Lord Chancellor and Lord Chief Justice, and the Office for Judicial Complaints, with regard to the handling of complaints and the discipline of judicial office holders. Further information is available on the website of the Office for Judicial Complaints, at www.judicialcomplaints.gov.uk.
Mark Williams: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs when she expects to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Ceredigion of 14 March 2006 to the former Foreign Secretary, regarding Mr. Toby Glaister. [86348]
Ms Harman: The right hon. the Baroness Ashton of Upholland wrote to the hon. Member on 28 April 2006 in response to his letter of 14 March 2006 to the Foreign Secretary. I apologise that the letter of 28 April omitted to say that the letter of 14 March was transferred to my Department for reply.
Mr. Chope: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs (1) what the budget for 2006-07 is for the Courts Service in (a) Dorset, (b) Gloucestershire and (c) Wiltshire; and what changes will be made to the budget as a result of the restructuring in October; [87480]
Ms
Harman: The budget allocation for FY
2006-07 is: Dorset—£7.647 million;
Gloucestershire—£5.644 million; and
Wiltshire—£6.620 million. Re-structuring will not be
completed until 31 March 2007 and no changes will be made to the
FY2006-07 budget allocations for these three areas as a result of the
re-structuring exercise. The appropriate budget allocation for the new
amalgamated
Dorset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire area will be determined in due
course as part of the annual financial planning
cycle.
David Simpson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what percentage of the staff in her Department is (a) male, (b) female and (c) disabled, broken down by grade. [69032]
Ms Harman: The statistics requested are as at 31 December 2005 in the following tables. Declaration of a disability is voluntary and the statistics are therefore based on the number of respondents to a confidential questionnaire, which all staff are asked to complete, and not total staff.
| Table 1: DCA gender/disability broken down by grade (excluding magistrates courts) | |||
| Percentage | |||
| Government grade | Female | Male | Declared disability |
| Table 2: Magistrates courts gender/disability, all grades | |||
| Percentage | |||
| Government grade | Female | Male | Declared disability |
Mr. Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what steps she is taking to ensure the long-term preservation of documents held in digital form. [88290]
Ms Harman: The National Archives is working with the Government’s Chief Technical Officers (CTO) Council to address the problem of the survival of electronic records with a mid and long-term value across Government.
a Digital Archive facility, in which it preserves a wide range of electronic records transferred by Government departments;
a Web Archiving Programme to preserve government websites of long-term value;
the National Digital Archive of Datasets to preserve historically significant datasets created over the past thirty years.
Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs pursuant to her answer of 26 June 2006, Official Report, column 304W, on Dr. David Kelly, if she will list the occasions since 1 January 2003 when (a) the Lord Chancellor and (b) (i) Ministers and (ii) officials from her Department have met (A) the Deputy Coroner of Oxfordshire, (B) the Assistant Deputy Coroner of Oxfordshire and (C) anyone else responsible to the Oxfordshire Coroner. [83773]
Ms Harman: There has been one meeting between my officials and one of the newly appointed assistant deputy coroners of the Oxfordshire jurisdiction to discuss progress on the inquests into those who have died in the Iraq conflict.
John McDonnell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs on how many occasions during 2005-06 parents involved in cases in the Family Court were informed of a delay to the reports required by the court. [86963]
Ms Harman: The information requested is not collected.
Keith Vaz: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs (1) what recent discussions she has had with the judiciary about the openness of family courts; [84554]
(2) when she last met the President of the Family Division. [84556]
Ms Harman: Since being appointed as Minister for Family Justice, I have discussed openness of the family courts with a wide range of stakeholders. Members of the judiciary included:
Sir Mark Potter, President, and Lord Justice Thorpe;
Mr. Justice Ryder;
Mrs. Justice Black and Mr. Justice McFarlane;
District Judge (Magistrates Courts) Crichton; and
Margaret Wilson JP.
I last met the President of the Family Division on3 July 2006.
Mr. Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what guidance she has issued to freedom of information officers to assist them in recognising the circumstances in which they should apply environmental information regulations rather than the Freedom of Information Act 2000. [88291]
Ms Harman: On 5 June 2006, my Department published guidance on examining the key differences between the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (EIR) and the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOI Act). This guidance was specifically designed to assist freedom of information officers in recognising circumstances in which they should apply the EIRs rather than the FOI Act. The guidance is called “EIR/FOI Boundaries Guidance” and can be found at www.foigov.uk. My Department and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs continue to provide advice and assistance to Departments on the interpretation of the FOI Act and the EIRs.
Mr. Hands: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what response the Government have made to reports of the Local Government Ombudsman on the inappropriate (a) destruction and (b) moving of gravestones by local authorities. [88231]
Ms Harman: The Local Government Ombudsmen's special report on memorial safety in local authority cemeteries was a helpful and timely reminder to local authorities that it should normally be unnecessary to lay down large numbers of gravestones.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many court orders have been made for the repossession of homes in each London borough since 1987. [87242]
Ms Harman: The following table shows the number of mortgage possession orders made in all London county courts since 1987.
| Number of mortgage( 1) possession orders made in county courts( 2) in London, 1987-2005 | |||||||||
| 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | |
| 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | |
| (1)
Local authority and
private. (2) The court, following a judicial hearing, may grant an order for possession immediately. This entitles the claimant to apply for a warrant to have the defendant evicted. However, even where a warrant for possession is issued, the parties can still negotiate a compromise to prevent eviction. (3) For the years 1987 to 1989, “Suspended orders” were not separately counted. They are thus included in “Orders made”. (4) Court closed. | ||||||||||
Mr. Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs when she plans to make an announcement on the budget for the Information Commissioner's Office. [88294]
Ms Harman: I have no plans to make an announcement on the budget for the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). The Commissioner's budget is derived from two sources. His data protection work is funded by notification fees payable under the Data Protection Act 1998. His freedom of information work is funded by grant in aid. On 18 April 2006, Baroness Ashton announced to the Constitutional Affairs Select Committee that an additional £550,000 in funding would be provided to the ICO. This means that the total grant in aid for the ICO for 2006-07 is £5,550,000.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many magistrates there are in courts in each London borough, broken down by (a) age, (b) ethnicity and (c) sex. [87713]
Ms Harman: Magistrates are assigned to 28 Local Justice Areas in London. The following table provides a breakdown of the average age, ethnicity and gender of magistrates for each area, as of 20 July 2006.
| Ethnicity | Gender | |||||||
| Local justice area | Total | Average age | White | BME | Unknown | Female | Male | |
| (1)
Figures less than five are not quoted following established government
statistics guidelines for protecting the confidentiality of
data
subjects. | ||||||||
Sarah Teather: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what steps her Department is taking to encourage magistrates from ethnic minority backgrounds; and if she will make a statement. [87717]
Ms Harman: We have put in place a range of measures to attract magistrates from ethnic minority backgrounds including:
informative publicity material about the magistracy to encourage applications from all sections of local communities and to raise awareness among employers;
a new Working Group of the main employer organisations and the Trade Union Congress has been set up to seek their active support in encouraging employees to join the magistracy;
funding of the Magistrates Shadowing Scheme run by Operation Black Vote to enable people from black and minority ethnic (BME) groups to shadow magistrates in order to gain valuable insight into the roles and responsibilities of a magistrate, and encourage applications.
Progress has been made in increasing diversity among magistrates.
Chris Huhne: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs (1) how many magistrates courts have closed in each year since 1980, broken down into (a) rural and (b) non-rural areas; and if she will make a statement; [84745]
Ms Harman: My Department does not hold information on the magistrates courthouse closures which occurred prior to 1995. The following table provides details of the magistrates court closures (broken down into (a) rural and (b) non-rural areas) which took place between 1995 and 2006. HM Courts Service is committed to improving the standard of facilities provided to court users and in delivering greater value for money by increasing courtroom utilization. This includes the modernization and building of new modern courthouses as well as the co-location of magistrates courts with county courts.
| Number of magistrates courts closed in each year since 1995( 1) | |||||||
| Rural 75 | Rural 50 | Significant rural | Other urban | Large urban | Major urban | Total number of courts closed | |
| (1)
The rural constituency classification (introduced by the Rural Evidence
Research Centre on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and
Rural Affairs in 2006) has been used to define whether court closures
took place in rural/urban areas. The classification divides
constituencies into the following six categories: Rural 75: Over 75 per cent. of the population live in rural settlements (including 207 large market towns) Rural 50: Over 50 per cent. of the population live in rural settlements (including 207 large market towns) Significant rural: More than 37,000 or between 26 per cent. and 50 per cent. of the population live in rural settlements. Other urban: Fewer than 37,000 or less than 26 per cent. of the population live in rural settlements; Large urban: A minimum of 50,000 or 50 per cent. of the population live in a large urban area; Major urban: A minimum of 100,000 or 50 per cent. of the population live in a major urban area (i.e. over 750,000 of the population). | |||||||
Sarah Teather: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many magistrates courts there are in each London borough. [87714]
Ms Harman: The information is as follows.
| Court(s) | Borough |
City of Westminster Magistrates Court and Marylebone Magistrates Court | |
Greenwich Magistrates Court, Woolwich Magistrates Court and Belmarsh Magistrates Court | |
Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many magistrates courts in England and Wales closed in each year since 1979. [86746]
Ms Harman: My Department does not hold information on the magistrates courthouse closures which occurred prior to 1995. The following table provides details of the magistrates court closures which took place between 1995 and 2006. HM Courts Service is committed to improving the standard of facilities provided to court users and in delivering greater value for money by increasing courtroom utilization. This includes the modernization and building of new modern courthouses as well as the co-location of magistrates courts and county courts.
| Total number of courts closed | |
Mr. Gauke: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what administrative functions for which her Department is responsible are outsourced overseas; and what assessment she has made of the merits of outsourcing further such functions overseas. [81558]
Ms Harman: My Department has not outsourced any of its administrative functions overseas and has no plans to do so. No assessment has been made of the merits of off-shoring.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs when she will answer question 67393, on legal aid, tabled by the hon. Member for Portsmouth, South for answer on 2 May 2006. [85275]
Vera Baird: I have today responded to the hon. Member’s question. It raised important legal considerations concerning the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and these took time to consider. I am sorry that it has taken so long.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how much in legal aid has been provided to Mr. Nabeel Sami Fathallah; and if she will make a statement. [67393]
Vera Baird: I am not able to disclose this information. The Department can only disclose legal aid details where individuals have received legal aid in connection with litigation, and where that litigation has ceased.
Mr.
Amess: To ask the Minister
of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many private
prosecutions were undertaken in (a) Southend-on-Sea, (b)
Essex and (c) England and Wales in each of the last 10 years for
which figures are available; how many (i) succeeded
and (ii) failed in each year; and how many were stopped on the grounds
of (A) public interest and (B) insufficient evidence in each year.
[87215]
Ms Harman: Information about the number of private prosecutions is not collected and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost to the Department.
Lynne
Featherstone: To ask the Minister of State,
Department for Constitutional Affairs how many court cases in each
London court had to be rescheduled
because the defendant failed (a) to attend and (b) to
bring the appropriate documentation in each of the last five years.
[85955]
Ms Harman: The following tables show the number of trials held in London which had to be rescheduled (became ineffective) because the defendant did not attend. Separate tables are provided for cases dealt with in the magistrates courts where data is only available for Local Justice Areas, and for each of the Crown courts. Information on the number of cases wherethe defendant failed to bring the appropriate documentation is not collected and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
| Ineffective trials due to defendant non-attendance in the Crown court( 1) | |||||
| Crown court centre | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 |
| (1
)Does not include defendant absence through illness or
non-production from
prison | |||||
| Ineffective trials due to defendants non attendance in each Local Justice Area in the London magistrates court region( 1) | |||
| Financial year | |||
| 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | |
| (1
)Does not include defendant absence through illness or
non-production from
prison. | |||
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the fee is for a property owner to appeal a Final Empty Dwelling Management Order to a Residential Property Tribunal. [86843]
Vera Baird: The fee would be £150.
Keith Vaz: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many statements have been made by victims’ special advocates in (a) Cardiff, (b) Manchester, (c) Birmingham and (d) London. [84526]
Ms Harman: No family impact statements have yet been made in any of the five pilot courts. The scheme applies to cases where a charge of murder or manslaughter is brought on or after 24 April 2006.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs on what occasions a statutory instrument sponsored by her Department has been reported by the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments as defective since October 2005. [85182]
Ms Harman: Reports from the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments contain full details of the statutory instruments which they have reported. The Department has provided information for the Joint Committee on Statutory Instrument’s Departmental Returns report for 2005. This is due to be published shortly. In 2006 there have been three statutory instruments reported as defective.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what advertising campaigns the Department has run between 2000 and June 2004; and what the (a) date and (b) cost was of each. [87068]
Mr. Lammy: The Department had a zero spend on advertising between 2000 and 2002. The expenditure on advertising from 2003 has been as follows.
| Spend (£) | |
| (1
)BBC
Charter | |
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) how much of the grant-in-aid to Arts Council England was allocated to theatre between 1997 and 2005; [87012]
Mr. Lammy: I refer my hon. Friend to the answersI gave him on 18 July 2006, Official Report,columns 331-32W.
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to her oral statement of 10 July 2006, Official Report, column 1156, on the BBC Charter, what additional areas of the BBC’s financial responsibilities she is considering adding to the scrutiny remit of the National Audit Office; and if she will make a statement. [87657]
Mr. Woodward: We are not considering adding any areas of the BBC’s financial responsibility to the scrutiny remit of the National Audit Office (NAO). As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State recently announced, we are currently exploring with the NAO how we might best establish an efficiency benchmark against which future performance might be judged.
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to her oral statement of 10 July 2006, Official Report, column 1156, on broadcasting, which areas of the BBC’s financial responsibilities her Department is considering adding to the scrutiny remit of the National Audit Office; and if she will make a statement. [86795]
Mr. Woodward: We are not considering adding any areas of the BBC’s financial responsibility to the scrutiny remit of the National Audit Office (NAO). We are currently exploring with the NAO how we might best establish an efficiency benchmark against which future performance might be judged.
Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what initial assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Chance to Shine campaign; and if she will extend similar schemes to other sports. [87624]
Mr. Caborn: The “Chance to Shine” initiative, a£50 million campaign to improve participation in cricket in state schools and run by the Cricket Foundation, has recently issued its first mid-term report.
There are no plans to extend the scheme to other sports.
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many (a) USB (i) flash drives and (ii) memory sticks, (b) compact discs, (c) DVD-ROM discs, (d) laptop computers, (e) external computers hard drives, (f) internal computer hard drives and (g) desktop computers were purchased for use in her Department in each month since March 2005. [88747]
Mr. Lammy: This question cannot be answered save at disproportionate cost.
Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans the United Kingdom Government have to establish a cultural agreement with India; and with which countries the United Kingdom Government has established a cultural agreement. [87616]
Tessa Jowell: The United Kingdom does not have general cultural agreements with other countries. However, we are in the process of finalising a Film Co-Production Treaty with India. The UK has similar Agreements on Film with France, Germany, Canada, Norway, Australia and New Zealand and we are also finalising one with South Africa.
Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people were employed in her Department in each year since 1997. [87618]
Mr. Lammy: The Cabinet Office collects and publishes annually statistical information on the civil service by Department. Historical information on the numbers of people employed by DCMS and its agency, The Royal Parks, is available in the Library and on the civil service website at:
<http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/management/statistics/archive/staff/index.asp>
<http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/management/statistics/employment/index.asp>
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what steps she is taking to ensure that proprietors of homes in multiple dwelling units are informed of the necessary steps to upgrade their properties to receive digital television; [87817]
Mr. Woodward: The digital switchover programme, led by Digital UK working with Government and Ofcom, has established a dedicated workstream on housing issues. This will make sure the progress in converting communal television systems is tracked and that the right messages go to private and social landlords and to managing agents and other representatives. It will also be important to make sure that tenants are aware of what is happening, something Digital UK will do as part of its wider communications campaigns.
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions her Department has had with (a) the National Landlords Association and (b) the National Housing Federation since 2001 on the provision of digital television services to tenants in private accommodation. [87818]
Mr. Woodward: We have had extensive contacts with the National Landlords Association and National Housing Federation regarding the provision of digital television services and digital switchover. Both organisations were represented on the editorial board which oversaw the development of the “Digital Switchover: A Good Practice Briefing Special", which we published, in association with the Chartered Institute of Housing in August 2005.
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether it is her policy to support the use of integrated reception systems to provide digital services in multiple dwelling units. [87823]
Mr. Woodward: No. It is for landlords in consultation with residents to determine the most appropriate way of adapting communal TV aerial systems for digital television services.
Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the transmitter upgrade timetable is for digital switchover in Wales. [88858]
Mr. Woodward: Digital switchover will begin in the second half of 2009 in the HTV Wales region. We hope to be able to provide more specific information on the transmitter timetable for Wales later in the year, as well as for the west country and Granada regions, where the process will also begin in 2009.
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what support her Department provides to assist (a) small hotels, (b) guest houses and (c) other tourism businesses to meet the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. [87395]
Mr. Woodward: Visit Britain’s National Accessible Scheme (NAS) helps hotels, guest houses, self-catering accommodation and other accommodation providers, to improve access and quality for those with hearing, mobility and visual impairment. It includes a self-assessment pack, which businesses can complete to see where improvements should be made to improve access.
Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to her answer of 28 June 2006, Official Report, column 722W, on fixture lists, with which (a) football authorities and (b) sports governing bodies she is consulting; and what the process of consultation will be. [87674]
Mr. Caborn: My officials are currently consulting with all of the football authorities including the FA, the FA premier league and the Football League on the Independent European Sports Review. We will also be consulting the devolved Administrations who have responsibility for sport in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales and the Central Council of Physical Recreation (CCPR) who represent the interests of all sporting national governing bodies.
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with the Football Association Premier League on ticket pricing. [88207]
Mr. Caborn: I have not held any discussions with the FA Premier League on ticket pricing.
Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what investigations her Department is undertaking into the football transfer market; and when they will report. [87627]
Mr. Caborn: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has no plans for any investigation into the football transfer market. This is, however, an issue that has been raised in the European Sports Review recently published by Jose Luis Arnaut.
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what estimate she has made of turnover in the gambling industry in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement; [86104]
Mr. Caborn: The Office of National Statistics publishes data on gambling expenditure (i.e. stakes minus winnings) by UK households. In the last five financial years, expenditure on gambling, including the national lottery, is as follows:
| £ million | |
Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of the scale of betting conducted on British sporting events in other EU member states. [87675]
Mr. Caborn: The Government do not hold information relating to bets taken by operators based outside Great Britain.
Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations she has made to the EU study on gambling services in the internal market of the EU. [87676]
Mr. Caborn: My Department submitted evidence to the Swiss Institute of Comparative Law, which undertook the study on behalf of the European Commission, and an official attended a briefing for member states hosted by the Swiss Institute.
Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the impact on market share of UK-based gambling and betting businesses of their effective regulation. [88825]
Mr. Caborn: A Regulatory Impact Assessment of the Gambling Act 2005 was published on 21 April 2005. We are currently working through the programme of secondary legislation needed to implement the Act, in order that the process of implementation will be complete in September 2007. Statutory Instruments will be accompanied by Regulatory Impact Assessments where appropriate.
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what powers the Government have to control online advertising of (a) online and (b) casino gambling; and if she will make a statement. [88842]
Mr. Caborn: The Committee of Advertising Practice will set standards and codes for non-broadcast advertising of gambling activities, including online advertising. The Secretary of State also has reserve powers under the Gambling Act 2005 to make regulations with regard to the form, content, timing and location of gambling advertising. She will not hesitate to use these powers if it becomes clear that self-regulation is not sufficient to protect children and vulnerable people from exploitation. Both the CAP codes and any Secretary of State regulations will apply to all non-broadcast advertising by gambling operators, wherever they are licensed.
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions her Department has held with the Treasury on the taxation regime for online gambling; and if she will make a statement. [89085]
Mr. Caborn: Officials from this department speak regularly with colleagues from other Government departments across a wide range of issues.
Mrs. Dean: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) when she expects to be able to announce her decision regarding the stake and prize levels of category C gaming machines; [87225]
(3) whether stakes and prize levels for category C gaming machines are being re-considered. [88009]
Mr. Caborn: I have had very constructive discussions with the relevant industry organisations and others interested in stake and prize levels for gaming machines and will be making an announcement shortly.
Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what account was taken of the Jockey Club’s financial position in proposals to transfer functions to the new Horserace Regulatory Authority. [88829]
Mr. Caborn: This is a matter for the Jockey Club, which I understand has made an assessment of its financial position in relation to the transfer of its functions to the new Horserace Regulatory Authority.
Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the compatibility of the horserace betting levy with EU legislation. [88830]
Mr. Caborn: The arrangements relating to the horserace betting levy were established before the UK joined the European Community. The European Commission keeps systems of aid under review in all member states but aids that pre-date a state's accession benefit from special rules. The Government are satisfied that the existing arrangements for the horserace betting levy are compatible with our obligations under the treaty establishing the European Community.
Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what assessment she has made of the impact of the Horserace Betting Levy on the sale of media rights by racecourses; [88831]
Mr. Caborn: The regulatory impact assessment published in December 2003 to accompany the Horserace Betting and Olympic Lottery Act 2004 contains consideration of the impact of the Horserace Betting Levy on the sale of pre-race data and television pictures by racing.
Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) when she will announce her decision on the future of the Horserace Betting Levy after 2009; and if she will make a statement; [88832]
Mr. Caborn: No decision has been taken to extend of the Horserace Betting Levy beyond 2009 nor to vary the provisions of the Horserace Betting and Olympic Lottery Act, although the matter is under consideration by my Department following the publication of the phase two report of the Future Funding of Racing Review Group, Chaired by Lord Donoughue of Ashton.
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the value was of each IT contract awarded by her Department in each of the last five years; and who the contractor was in each case. [89000]
Mr. Lammy: My Department has awarded IT contracts to NCC Group and BT in the last five years. It is not possible to provide individual costs save at disproportionate costs but the aggregated cost of all such contracts over the past five years would be less then £500,000.
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which IT contracts awarded by her Department in each of the last five years have been abandoned; and what the value was in each case. [89038]
Mr. Lammy: My Department has not abandoned any IT contracts in the past five years.
Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what percentage of public libraries were classed as of (a) good and (b) excellent standard in each year since 1997; [87016]
(2) what criteria are used to determine the quality of public libraries. [87017]
Mr. Lammy: Different aspects of the performance of the 149 public library authorities in England have been assessed, on different basis, for DCMS since 1998. There was no formal assessment by the Department before then.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) how many (a) books, (b) audio books, (c) videos, (d) computer games and (e) DVDs were stocked in public libraries in each London borough in each year since 1997; [87252]
Mr. Lammy: This information is not held centrally. However, the Public Library Statistics, published annually by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, contain similar data to that being sought. The House of Commons Library holds copies for the period in question.
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many licences for public houses in (a) rural and (b) urban areas were not renewed in each year from 1997. [86712]
Mr. Woodward: Information on the renewal of licences held by public houses in the years prior to the implementation of the Licensing Act 2003 (the 2003 Act) is not held centrally. There is no renewal process for licences issued under the 2003 Act.
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment her Department has made of the likely impact of a change in the fee structure for premises licences under the Licensing Act 2003 on businesses which have already paid their renewal fees for their premises licence; and if she will make a statement. [87119]
Mr. Woodward: The Independent Fees Review Panel, chaired by Sir Les Elton, is considering the fee levels and structure and their impact on fee payers andlocal authorities. We will consider carefully any recommendations that the Panel makes when it reports to Ministers in the autumn.
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate her Department has made of the number of premises licensed under the Licensing Act 2003 which have paid their renewal fees for their premises licence since February; and if she will make a statement. [87120]
Mr. Woodward: There is no renewal process for licences issued under the Licensing Act 2003, although an annual fee is paid on the anniversary of the grant of the licence. We have not made any estimate about the number of licence holders who have paid annual fees. However, as most applications to convert licences to the new regime were made near the end of the period for converting licences in July and August last year, it is likely that the majority of annual fees will not be due until the autumn.
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when the Minister for Creative Industries and Tourism last met representatives of (a) the licensed trade, (b) local authorities, (c) residents’ groups, (d) magistrates, (e) police officers, (f) village hall associations, (g) sports clubs, (h) performing arts, (i) the tourism industry, (j) fire services and (k) the retail sector to discuss the Licensing Act 2003 and related legislation; and if she will make a statement. [87121]
Mr. Woodward: Since May 2006, I have held several internal meetings on the Licensing Act and have met with the Chair of the Independent Fees review panel. I have met, along with Home Office colleagues, representatives of the licensed trade on 15 May and representatives from local authorities and the police on 24 May.
I am planning to hold a series of stakeholder meetings in the autumn.
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of the monthly peak construction costs for the building of the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games sites. [87814]
Mr. Caborn: The Olympic Delivery Authority is currently procuring the delivery partner that will help it to deliver the Olympic and legacy construction. One element of the delivery partner’s role will be to examine the construction costs of the Olympic infrastructure. We expect this assessment to be completed within six to nine months of the appointment.
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment of contamination in the Olympic Park and surrounding Lea Valley area has been undertaken; what the findings were; and what remedial action is being taken. [87815]
Mr. Caborn: Initial site investigation and desk-top research work, undertaken in support of the Olympic and Legacy Planning Applications, identified some contamination within the footprint of the Olympic Park area. Much of the contaminated land is former Brownfield or derelict land that has been used for a variety of industrial activities.
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent estimate she has made of the cost of (a) security during construction of the Olympic Park in each year to 2012 and (b) security during the Olympic Games. [87816]
Tessa Jowell: I refer the hon. Member to the Answer I gave him on 24 May 2006, Official Report,column 1788W. Work continues on the evaluation of the security requirements for the various phases of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympics Games and their cost.
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether she has set up a specialist unit within the Department to oversee the Olympic Games. [87824]
Tessa Jowell: The Government Olympic Executive (GOE) has been set up within DCMS under a Chief Executive, who has also been appointed as an additional Accounting Officer, to co-ordinate Government input into the 2012 Games. The Executive acts as a link between Government Departments on the one hand and LOCOG (the London Organising Committee) and the ODA (Olympic Delivery Authority) on the other. GOE works closely with all Departments to ensure a joined up approach to delivering the benefits and legacy of the 2012 Games.
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what (a) arrangements have been made and (b) mode of transportation will be used to deliver raw materials to the Olympic Park. [87828]
Mr. Caborn: The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) are reviewing all modes of transport for raw materials, including river and rail usage, and will work with their Delivery Partner—to be appointed later this summer—to develop proposals for an effective, affordable and sustainable approach.
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with other Government Departments on co-ordinating other large construction projects during the construction of the Olympic Park; and if she will make a statement. [87829]
Mr. Caborn: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has been a key participant in an initiative being led by the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) to improve the public sector’s demand management in construction procurement and to enhance the UK construction industry’s long term capacity planning so as to meet public sector demand and provide a healthy level of competition.
The study is due to be published shortly.
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans there are for the use of (a) the Olympic Stadium and (b) other Olympic facilities after the Olympic Games have finished; and when she expects formal agreements on this to be finalised. [87830]
Tessa Jowell: Plans for the Olympic venues were set out in Theme 8 of the London 2012 Candidature File, which can be accessed on the website of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, www.london2012.com at:
http://www.london2012.com
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans her Department has to involve women in the delivery of the 2012 Olympics. [88202]
Tessa Jowell: The Olympic Delivery Authority and the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympics Games (LOCOG) are committed to diversity in the way they operate and engage with communities and groups. LOCOG, for instance, work with the Women's Resource Centre and the Women's Sports Foundation through their London 2012 Forum. My Department is working with the Department for Communities and Local Government (which has policy responsibility in Government for women's issues) to ensure that all sections of society have opportunities for involvement in the games. The Women and Equality Unit and the Equal Opportunities Commission have been involved in the development of this work and will help shape the final delivery plan. This work complements similar planning activity by the Greater London Authority to engage with a wide variety of London's diverse communities, including women.
Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress has been made against the objective of providing an ethical Olympic games in 2012; and if she will make a statement. [88209]
Mr. Caborn: The Olympic stakeholders are committed to an ethical Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in 2012 and a sustainable legacy for London and the UK. We are determined to ensure that local communities receive tangible benefit from the Games, particularly in the areas of local employment, affordable housing, training initiatives and education.
Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what mechanisms are being put in place in the procurement process for the Olympics to ensure private companies comply with good employment practices. [88211]
Mr. Caborn: The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA), which is responsible for delivering the infrastructure for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, places high importance on ensuring its ethical values are shared by potential contractors. Through the tendering process the ODA and its Delivery Partner will assess the commitment of bidders to these values, including their approach to good employment practices, training, recruitment, equalities and diversity. The ODA’s draft Procurement Policy, which was published on 19 July, states that it would like all employees of contractors and subcontractors working on ODA contracts to be on fair employment terms and conditions, such as the good practice guidance promulgated by the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development.
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the project to bury the underground power lines atthe Olympic Park; what lessons have been learned from the project; and if she will make a statement. [88222]
Mr. Caborn: During the Bid period the Government and the Mayor recognised that the timescale for undergrounding the powerlines was such that serious work needed to start in November 2005 if the project was to be completed within an acceptable timescale. Work was set in hand and the London Development Agency was ready to award the contract for undergrounding after we had won the Games. They will shortly transfer the project to the Olympic Delivery Authority. The initial contracts are working well and they expect the project to be completed in line with original targets.
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport by what (a) process and (b) criteria the Government and Sport England will allocate funds for improving Great Britain’s and Northern Ireland's potential medal performance in the 2012 Olympics between clubs and associations. [88247]
Mr. Caborn: All investment in medal potential for London 2012 is channelled through UK Sport, the Government's lead agency on high performance sport. UK Sport allocates Exchequer and Lottery funding solely through its World Class Pathway programme to the National Governing Bodies for Olympic and Paralympic sport, based on a range of factors including regular assessment of athlete performance at major international competitions. It is for those Governing Bodies to determine whether funding should then be provided for high performance sport through their clubs and associations.
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many properties (a) owned and (b) managed by the National Trust (i) she, (ii) the Minister for Sport, (iii) the Minister for Culture and (iv) the Minister for Media and Tourism has visited in an official capacity in the last five years. [87825]
Mr. Lammy: I have visited the new National Trust offices in Swindon as well as Tyntesfield, the Victorian House and estate near Bristol. My right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, the Minister for Sport and my hon. Friend the Minister for Media and Tourism have not yet had the opportunity to make official visits to properties owned or managed by the National Trust.
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she last met her Scottish counterpart; and what subjects were discussed. [88774]
Mr. Lammy: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State last met Patricia Ferguson on 2 November 2005 at Sports Cabinet. They discussed the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Glasgow’s bid to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games; Sport and Physical Activity; the Terms of Reference of the Sports Cabinet; our approach to hosting mega events; practical arrangements for future Sports Cabinet meetings; and the British Council’s ‘Dreams and Teams’ initiative.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many times her ministerial office has been decorated in each of the last five years. [87653]
Mr. Lammy: In the last five years the ministerial office of the Secretary of State has been decorated twice—in 2002 and 2005. It will be redecorated again in the coming months as part of the refurbishment of the Department’s Cockspur Street headquarters building.
Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what budget has been available to museums for acquisitions in each year since 1980. [87617]
Mr. Lammy: Museums have a number of sources of funding for acquisitions available to them. These include government funding (be it national or local), self generated income, private donations and grants available from bodies such as the Art Fund and the Heritage Lottery Fund. We do not keep figures on each of the different funding streams available for all museums.
Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate her Department has made of the percentage of revenue savings through efficiency savings required from museums in the next financial year. [87619]
Mr. Lammy: Museums and galleries participating in the DCMS efficiency project are required to make savings of 2.5 per cent. of their grant in aid per annum.
Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the change was in funding to museums in each year since 1997 (a) without taking inflation into account and (b) taking inflation into account. [87620]
Mr. Lammy: Tables giving details of increases in grant in aid to 17 DCMS sponsored museums since 1997 (a) without taking inflation into account and (b) taking inflation into account are in the following tables:
| Table A: Grant in aid allocated to 17 DCMS sponsored museums( 1) 1997-98 to 2007-08 | ||
| £ million( 2) | Percentage change | |
| (1)
Covers DCMS funding allocated to 17 DCMS Sponsored museums. Excludes
allocations to some smaller museums and DCMS funding streams open to
museums and galleries such as Strategic Commissioning, and the
DCMS/Wolfson Foundation Museums and Galleries Improvement
Fund. (2) £ million not taking inflation into
account. | ||
| Table B: Grant in aid (CiA) allocated to 17 DCMS sponsored museums( 1) 1997-98 to 2007-08 | ||
| £ million( 2) | Percentage change | |
| (1)
Covers DCMS funding allocated to 17 DCMS Sponsored museums. Excludes
allocations to some smaller museums and DCMS funding streams open to
museums and galleries such as Strategic Commissioning, and the
DCMS/Wolfson Foundation Museums and Galleries Improvement
Fund. (2 )£ million taking inflation into
account, using 1997 as base
year | ||
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many visitors to publicly-funded museums in London there were in each year since 1997. [87777]
Mr. Lammy: The number of visits to museums and galleries in London funded directly by this Department in each year since 1997 are set out in the following table:
| Number of visits (million) | |
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will bring forward proposals to require seating at venues open to the public to be increased in size to accommodate obese people; and if she will make a statement. [86953]
Mr. Caborn: The Health and Safety Executive publishes guidance on seating in The Event Safety Guide and Guide to fire precautions in existing places of entertainment and like premises.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what conditions were attached by the donor when Portchester Castle was given to the nation in 1974; and whether these conditions have been varied at any time. [87742]
Mr. Lammy: The guardianship of Portchester Castle was given to the Commissioner for Works on 23 June 1926. No conditions were attached to this gift.
Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations she has received on the listing of the Regal Cinema, Evesham. [87407]
Mr. Lammy: In October 2000, the Department received two applications to list this building. It was listed at Grade II in November 2000. Between November 2001 and January 2002, we received six requests, from the same individual, to de-list it or to approve ‘in principle’ plans to alter its interior. These were turned down. In June 2002, we received a request to upgrade the cinema to II. This was rejected, on the advice of English Heritage, 10 September 2002.
Sir Peter Soulsby: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many funding applications have been made to Sport England from organisations in Leicester South constituency; and if she will provide details of each application. [86131]
Mr. Caborn: Sport England does not hold information about funding applications in the required format. Over 900 applications have been made inthe East Midlands region, however, information specifically about the Leicestershire South constituency could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Sir Peter Soulsby: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many Sport England grants have been awarded to organisations in Leicester South constituency; and if she will provide details of each award. [86132]
Mr. Caborn: Sport England records show that, since 1995, 14 lottery grants have been awarded to organisations in the Leicester South constituency at a total value of £6,927,625. In addition, the constituency may also have benefited from Community Club Development programme grants of £1,137,889 awarded to organisations throughout Leicestershire.
Details of the Lottery awards are given in the following table.
| Applicant | Purpose | Grant (£) |
Highfield Youth and Community Centre-new four court, sports hall and fitness room | ||
Spectator safety works and upgrade of security installations | ||
Implementation of ticket administration system; alterations to the roof of the pavilion | ||
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many (a) football, (b) rugby, (c) hockey, (d) tennis, (e) cricket, (f) swimming and (g) gymnastic clubs there were in (i) each London borough and (ii) London in the last year for which figures are available. [87417]
Mr. Caborn: DCMS does not hold the information requested and there is no central register for such clubs.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on what occasions a statutory instrument sponsored by her Department has been reported by the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments as defective since October 2005. [85183]
Mr. Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many households in (a) Houghton and Washington, East constituency and (b) Sunderland city council area have been in receipt of free television licences in each year since the introduction of free licences for people over 75 years. [87374]
Mr. Woodward: TV Licensing, who administer free television licences for people aged 75 or over as agents for the BBC, are not able to provide geographical breakdowns of the number of free licences issued. However, the number of households with at least one person aged 75 or over claiming the winter fuel payment in the Houghton and Washington, East constituency in 2004-05 was 4,490, according to Department for Work and Pensions records. Winter fuel payment figures for the Sunderland city council area are not available; however, the figure in 2004-05 for the unitary authority of Sunderland was 15,330.
Mr. Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will introduce a scheme to exempt those staying in respite care from the need to purchase a television licence in addition to the one purchased for their home. [87418]
Mr. Woodward: Television licences for respite care arises principally in relation to the Accommodation for Residential Care (ARC) concessionary scheme. As part of BBC Charter Review, the Government re-examined anomalies within the existing concessionary arrangements, with a special focus on the ARC scheme. In the March 2006 White Paper, the Government acknowledged the shortcomings of the scheme but noted that proposals for change focussed on individual anomalies rather than ways to improve the scheme as a whole. Previous changes to correct individual anomalies have done little to improve the scheme as a whole and have tended to create new problems. We therefore have no plans to amend the scheme, nor to introduce a separate concessionary scheme for respite care accommodation.
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussion took place between her Department and the BBC about the decision not to renew the contract for renewal and purchase of television licences supplied at post offices. [87429]
Mr. Woodward: The award of the contract was a commercial decision for the BBC as television licensing authority. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport did not therefore have any discussions with the Corporation about the substance of the decision. However, DCMS officials were briefed by the BBC prior to the Corporation's announcement of the award of the contract on 31 March this year.
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what provisions were agreed at the Ticket Tout summit on 17 July regarding the charging of administration fees in relation to tickets returned to the original sellers for re-sale at face value; and if she will make a statement. [87118]
Mr.
Woodward: At the summit on 17 July, the industry stated
their agreement to introduce a returns policy whereby fans can return
tickets to the original sellers at face value. There were no specific
provisions
agreed around charging of administrative fees in relation to these
tickets. The returns policy will be implemented by the industry itself
and I hope they will take all relevant views into account, especially
those of the ticket buying public, when doing this. The industry also
agreed to set up a website where fans could sell tickets to other fans
at face value.
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of the tourism deficit in the United Kingdom; and if she will make a statement. [87382]
Mr. Woodward: The UK tourism balance of payments deficit was £18.1 million in 2005. This figure has been produced using a range of data sources including the UK Tourism Survey and the International Data Survey.
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what initiatives have been put in place by her Department to increase domestic tourism visits. [87392]
Mr. Woodward: Domestic tourism represents around 80 per cent. of the turnover of the UK tourism industry. My Department funds VisitBritain to market England to the British, as advised by the England Marketing Advisory Board. £10.4 million a year in grant in aid to VisitBritain is presently allocated for this purpose.
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding her Department plans to contribute for (a) marketing, (b) e-tourism, (c) improving the quality of tourism products and (d) skills and training in connection with achieving the target of £100 billion value for tourism by 2010. [87393]
Mr. Woodward: My Department funds VisitBritain to market Britain overseas, and market England to the British and in some European territories as advised by the England Marketing Advisory Board. Grant in aid to VisitBritain under the current Spending Review is in the following table:
| Resource | Capital | Total (£000) | |
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what support her Department provides to assist (a) small hotels, (b) guest houses and (c) other tourism businesses to enhance the skills of employees. [87394]
Mr. Woodward: The Department is working closely with DFES and People 1(st) (the Sector Skills Council for the Hospitality, Leisure, Travel and Tourism industries) on a broad and ambitious skills programme.
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what Government support for the tourism industry was in 2005-06; and if she will make a statement. [87396]
Mr. Woodward: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) provided support to the tourism industry via grant in aid to VisitBritain of £49.3 million in 2005-06. VisitBritain used this money to market and promote the UK to both the domestic and international markets.
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what support her Department provides to assist small tourism enterprises in the use of information technology. [87399]
Mr. Woodward: My Department does not provide direct assistance to small tourism businesses in the use of information technology. Such assistance is available to tourism and other businesses through the Small Business Service.
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what support her Department gives to VisitBritain for e-tourism; and if she will make a statement. [87400]
Mr. Woodward: VisitBritain’s e-tourism activities are supported by grant in aid from my Department. These activities include the EnglandNet project, to which a total of £10 million has been allocated, including£2 million over the current spending review period from 2005-06 to 2007-08.
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her Department's planned expenditure is on the tourism sector outside London in each of the next three years. [87401]
Mr. Woodward: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) provides support to the tourism industry via grant in aid to VisitBritian (VB). VisitBritian uses this money to market and promote the UK to both the domestic and international markets.
The level of grant in aid for VB agreed as part of the 2004 Spending Review was as follows:
| £000 | |||
| Resource | Capital | Total | |
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many tourists visited (a) London and (b) each London borough in each year since 1997. [87254]
Mr. Woodward: The tables set out the number of visits to London from (i) overseas and (ii) the UK where this included an overnight stay. Information is provided for the 2000 to 2005, equivalent data prior to this are not available.
| Inbound visits to London by year | |
| Visit (all) (Thousand) | |
| (1)
2005 data are
provisional. Source: International Passenger Survey (ONS). | |
| Domestic overnight trips to London by year | |
| Visit (all) (Thousand) | |
| (1)
VisitBritain believes the old UKTS methodology significantly
underreported
2004. (2) In 2005 an improved methodology was introduced for UKTS therefore direct comparison with previous years is not appropriate. Source: UK Tourism Survey (National Tourist Boards). | |
My Department does not have details of tourist visits to each London borough.
Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many (a) television transmitters and (b) relay stations there are in (i) Ceredigion, (ii) Wales and (iii) the UK. [88859]
Mr. Woodward: Ceredigion has one transmitter and 13 relays. The main transmitter is at Blaen Plywyf.
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what part volunteers will play in the running of the 2006 UK School Games in Glasgow; [86726]
Mr. Caborn: The selection of an operator to organise the UK School Games for 2006 and for 2007-11, and the subsequent grant of National Lottery money was a matter for the Millennium Commission. In my capacity as Chair of the Commission, I will write to you on this matter and arrange for copies of my reply to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate her Department has made of the number of visitors to (a) the Avebury monuments, (b) Bowood House, (c) Corsham Court, (d) Lacock Abbey, (e) Iford Manor, (f) Longleat, (g) Stourhead, (h) Old Wardour Castle and (i) Silbury Hill in each year since 1997. [88242]
Mr. Lammy: The Department does not hold estimates of the number of visitors to Bowood House, Corsham Court, Lacock Abbey, Iford Manor, Longleat or Stourhead.
Visitor figures for the English Heritage property of Old Wardour Castle is as follows:
| Number | |
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the likely impact on the Brent economy when Wembley Stadium opens. [87784]
Mr. Caborn: It is estimated that when the Wembley Stadium opens it will attract around 2.5 million visitors a year, bringing an estimated annual visitor spend of £229 million to Wembley and the surrounding area. Around 7,500 permanent job opportunities will be created by economic activity directly related to the stadium.
Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many applications for lottery funding have been made by the Youth Charter organisation in the past five years; and how many such applications have been (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful. [87974]
Mr. Caborn: There has been one award to the Youth Charter for Sport, Culture and the Arts. This was awarded by Sport England in May 2005. The Department does not collect information about unsuccessful lottery applications.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what advertising campaigns her Department ran between 2000 and June 2004; and what the (a) date and (b) cost was of each. [87070]
Mr. McFadden: Significant advertising campaigns in support of specific policies are managed centrally through Cabinet Office Communication Group and placed through the Central Office of Information (COI).
| Dates | Budget/spend | |
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much the Cabinet Office spent on supporting the Prime Minister in each year since 1996-97, including the estimated figures for 2005-06. [86853]
Hilary Armstrong: Supporting the Prime Minster is one of the Cabinet Office’s objectives. The costs associated with this function are identified and reported separately in the Annual Report and Resource Accounts.
Expenditure incurred on supporting the Prime Minister, prior to 2002-03, is not held centrally.
Mr. MacNeil: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) how many (a) laptop and (b) desk top computers were purchased for use in 10 Downing Street in each month since March 2005; [86886]
Mr. McFadden: The Prime Minister’s office forms an integral part of the Cabinet Office
| USB flash drive | USB memory stick | Compact disc drive | DVD-ROM disc drive | Laptop computer | External computer hard drive | Desktop computer | |
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what guidance the Cabinet Office issues to Government Ministers on declaring to HM Revenue and Customs financial benefits (a) Ministers and (b) their spouses have received from foreign persons or foreign corporations directly or indirectly as a result of their Ministerial position. [87594]
Hilary Armstrong: Guidance for Ministers on the acceptance of gifts and hospitality is set out in Section 5 of the “Ministerial Code”.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many times her ministerial office has been decorated in each of the last five years. [87656]
Hilary Armstrong: According to available records, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster’s Ministerial Office, Private Offices and waiting area has been decorated once in the last five years.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many non-departmental public bodies have been abolished since December 2005; and what estimate she has made of the consequent effect on public funds. [87110]
Mr. McFadden: Information on public bodies sponsored by central Government is provided annually in the Cabinet Office publication “Public Bodies” which records information as at 31 March each year. This includes details of closed bodies and also government funding and expenditure.
Copies of previous publications are available in the Library for the reference of Members.
Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) what guidance she has issued to departments on the publication of work preliminary to the conduct of regulatory impact assessments; [87950]
Mr. McFadden: The Cabinet Office’s guidance makes clear that final regulatory impact assessments (RIAs) should be made available to the House and published by Departments on their websites. Partial RIAs should also be published by departments as part of formal consultation exercises. The publication of initial RIAs and other work preparatory to the production of partial and final RIAs is for individual Departments to consider on a case by case basis.
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans there are to undertake a review of Afghanistan (a) development needs and (b) the progress of international reconstruction projects. [86537]
Hilary Benn: I have been asked to reply.
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the remit is of her Department's team of officials involved with the Poppy Elimination programme in Helmand Province; what their responsibilities are; and what their budget is. [86689]
Dr. Howells: The UK is spending £270 million over three years in support of the Afghan national drug control strategy. As part of this we have provided £276,000 in support of the Ministry of Counter Narcotics’ Poppy Elimination programme. The Poppy Elimination programme is a year-round programme operating in seven priority provinces including Helmand. It has been designed to assist provincial authorities deter poppy crop planting through public awareness and community outreach. The Poppy Elimination programme teams are also responsible for monitoring poppy cultivation, farmers’ planting intentions and the existence and effectiveness of licit rural development assistance. There are normally seven Afghan members of staff (who are employed by the Ministry of Counter Narcotics) and two international advisers in each Poppy Elimination programme team. Members of our embassy drugs team in Kabul have regular and frequent contact with members of the Poppy Elimination programme teams.
Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations she has made to her Chinese counterparts on the human rights situation in that country. [86705]
Mr. McCartney: The Government regularly raises human rights issues with the Chinese Government, through ministerial and official contacts, our bilateral Human Rights Dialogue and EU mechanisms. During my visit to China from 14-17 July, I urged the Chinese Government to make early progress towards ratification of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and raised concern about restrictions on freedom of expression, including on the internet and the movement and reporting of journalists. A range of human rights issues, including individual cases, were discussed in depth at the last round of the UK-China Human Rights Dialogue on 3 July.
Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports she has received on human rights violations against practitioners of Falun Gong in China. [86706]
Mr. McCartney: The Government regularly raises with the Chinese Government reports of the harassment and arbitrary detention of Falun Gong practitioners, most recently at the last round of the UK-China Human Rights Dialogue on 3 July. The Government are aware of media reports of widespread organ harvesting from Falun Gong practitioners in China, and a report by a former Canadian Cabinet Minister which supports these allegations. We have seen no further evidence to date to substantiate these reports. We will continue to raise our concerns about human rights violations against Falun Gong practitioners.
Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken to promote human rights observance in China. [88194]
Mr. McCartney: The Government regularly encourages the Chinese Government to improve its observance of human rights, through ministerial engagement, the UK-China human rights dialogue and EU mechanisms. The Government also funds a number of projects in China to improve human rights observance on the ground. These are detailed in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s (FCO) annual human rights report available on the FCO website at:
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the average cost to her Department was of replying to a letter written (a) by an hon. Member and (b) by a member of the public in the latest period for which figures are available, broken down into (i) officials’ time, (ii) cost of stationery and (iii) postage costs. [80481]
Mr. Hoon: The Cabinet Office, on an annual basis, publishes a report to Parliament on the performanceof departments in replying to hon. Members/Peers correspondence. The report for 2005 was published on 30 March 2006 (col. 76ws-78ws).
The information requested is not recorded and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 14 May 2002, Official Report, column 625, on the drugs trade, when she will place in the Library the details of the Afghan poppy eradication programme, maps and a video. [87747]
Dr. Howells: I apologise that we have, to date, been unable to locate the material to which my hon. Friend refers. As my hon. Friend will know, officials are in the process of searching archived records from 2002 and will provide any relevant material as soon as theyare able.
Mr. MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will place in the Library a copy of the reply the Prime Minister sent to the letter dated 10 March sent by the International Press Institute on the killings of journalists in East Timor. [86000]
Mr. McCartney [holding answer 17 July 2006]: Yes. The letter officials sent to the International Press Institute on 4 July, in response to their letter of10 March, will be placed in the Library of the House. I will also arrange for a copy of the letter to be sent to my right. hon. Friend.
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 4 July 2006, Official Report, column 931W, on East Timor, what assessment she has made of whether acts of violence in Timor-Leste in 1999 (a) constituted crimes against humanity, (b) were planned by the Indonesian military and (c) were undertaken in opposition to the US mission sanctioned by Indonesia. [87090]
Mr.
McCartney: We have no record of any independent detailed
assessment of these issues. However, the UN-established serious crimes
unit was mandated to investigate crimes against humanity and other
serious crimes committed in East Timor in 1999 and issued a number of
indictments against people who were serving in the Indonesian military
at that
time. A parallel process, the Commission for Reception, Reconciliation
and Truth (CAVR) was set up by East Timor to look at less serious
offences. The CAVR report found that human rights abuses were committed
by Indonesian security forces. These human rights abuses were clearly
contrary to the aims of the UN Mission to East Timor.
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 3 July 2006, Official Report, column 863W, on East Timor, what assessment she has made of the role of the Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation (CAVR); if she will encourage the Security Council to take CAVR’s findings into consideration; what assessment she has made of the competence of the Joint Indonesian and Timor-Leste Commission of Truth and Friendship to investigate acts of violence in Timor-Leste (a) in 1999 and (b) before 1999; and if she will make a statement. [87091]
Mr. McCartney: We recognise the important work done by the Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation to promote reconciliation in East Timor, both through its Community Reconciliation Process—whereby those responsible for less serious crimes made amends for their actions outside the formal judicial system, supporting grassroots reconciliation—and through its attempts to determine the truth about human rights violations from 1974-1999. It is for the UN Secretary-General to decide whether to disseminate the Commission’s report within the UN, including in the Security Council. The Commission for Truth and Friendship was set up by the Governments of East Timor and Indonesia specifically to look at the events surrounding the 1999 referendum. It commenced work in August 2005, for a period of one year and an extension has recently been announced until at least May next year. The central element to the Commission’s work is truth and reconciliation rather than seeking to bring the perpetrators of human rights violations to court.
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Government of China on the protection of human rights in Tibet. [68195]
Mr. McCartney: I would like to apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in replying.
Mr. Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions she plans to have with her counterpart in India about whether there are any security lessons that the UK can learn from the recent bombings in Mumbai, India. [86885]
Dr. Howells: I would expect future discussions with Indian Ministers to include terrorism and the implications of the Mumbai bombings. UK officials here and in India have been in detailed discussions with the Indian authorities following the bombings and are considering what lessons we need to draw from these attacks. The authorities in India are still conducting their investigations.
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of (a) discussions between President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Mamnohan Singh of India regarding giving India access to US nuclear technology and (b) the implications of those discussions for (i) the non-proliferation treaty and (ii) regional stability. [86898]
Dr. Howells: We believe the agreement between the US and India on nuclear arrangements can make a significant contribution to energy security, development, economic and environmental objectives for India and the international community, as well as representing a net gain for the non-proliferation regime. The UK has strongly supported this initiative from its inception and has been actively involved throughout.
Mr.
Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for
Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs further to the letter
of23 December 2005, (your ref: 967/05:
Freedom of Information), promising a response as a matter of
urgency
to the letter from the hon. Member for Sunderland South of 25 November
2005, on British training of Khmer insurgents in the 1980s, when she
expects to reply.
[87087]
Mr. McCartney: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is conducting an internal review of its handling of my hon. Friend’s Freedom of Information request and hopes to provide a substantive response within one month.
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what agreements were reached during recent discussions between the Government and the Libyan Government. [86467]
Dr. Howells: I visited Libya from 25-27 June and met the Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, and Ministers for Justice, Training and Employment, Economic Co-operation, and Europe. Our discussions covered bilateral relations, co-operation on counter terrorism, education and training, human rights, migration, and trade and investment. I raised the case of WPC Fletcher and also the Bulgarian and Palestinian medical staff and the HIV crisis in Benghazi. We shared views on regional issues, including Darfur.
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the UK Government supports Japan’s proposed freeze on North Korean assets held overseas following recent missile tests. [86899]
Mr. McCartney: On 15 July, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 1695. This requires UN member states to prevent missile and missile-related items, materials, goods and technology being transferred to or from the North Korean missile or weapons of mass destruction programmes, and prevent the transfer of any financial resources in relation to those programmes. The UK will implement this resolution in full, and expects others to do the same. It is entirely understandable that those in the region most immediately threatened by North Korea's actions might wish to consider additional measures of the sort in mind in Japan.
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the UK Government made to support the UN resolution criticizing North Korea's recent missile tests proposed by the UN ambassador from Japan. [86900]
Mr. McCartney: The UK strongly agreed that the UN Security Council should respond urgently and robustly to North Korea's missile tests of 5 July. We therefore worked closely with Japan and other Security Council partners on the draft resolution. Security Council Resolution 1695, which was unanimously adopted by the Security Council on 15 July, condemns North Korean behaviour and requires them to suspend missile testing, re-establish their moratorium on tests, and return immediately, without pre-conditions, to the six party talks on their nuclear weapons programmes. We have urged the North Koreans to comply with these requirements and hope they will do so without delay.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many parliamentary questions tabled to her Department were awaiting a reply on 10 July 2006; which of those had been waiting longer than (a) two and (b) three weeks for a reply; and what the reason for the delay was in each case. [85205]
Mr. Hoon: There were 113 parliamentary questions tabled to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) awaiting reply at the end of 10 July 2006. Of those, 12 had been waiting more than two weeks and up to three weeks for a reply and 16 had been waiting longer than three weeks for a reply.
The reasons for delay can be categorised as follows:
Sixteen of the questions required additional information/input from FCO officials in the UK and overseas before they could be answered;
Twelve of the questions were awaiting ministerial clearance. In many cases the delay was due to heavy travel commitments by Ministers.
Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the political situation in Somalia. [86412]
Mr. McCartney: The Government are concerned at the recent violence in Somalia. We condemn it and urge all parties within, and outside, Somalia not to take any action which might perpetuate or provoke further violence, endanger the fragile cease-fire agreed between the Transitional Federal government and the Islamic Courts in Khartoum on 22 June, threaten the progress of dialogue between the parties in Somalia or damage the already dire humanitarian situation there. We promote dialogue, not confrontation. There are no military solutions to Somalia’s problems.
http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2006/sc8773.doc.htm
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the (a) remit and (b) membership is of the Southern Iraq Donor Group; how often it meets; what its goals are; how its performance is measured; and if she will make a statement. [86678]
Hilary Benn: I have been asked to reply.
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Cynon Valley of 5 June 2006, Official Report, column 315W, on East Timor, in what ways the joint UK-Australian police training initiative will augment past UN police training of forces in Timor-Leste; and what measures are in place to ensure integration of the UK-Australian initiative with the existing UN operation in Timor-Leste. [87088]
Mr.
McCartney: The UK-Australian Timor-Leste Police
Development programme (TLPDP) has been running since July 2004. The
programme is designed to strengthen the capacity of the East Timorese
police service to maintain law and order effectively and professionally
with full respect for human rights. The TLPDP complements other past
and current police training undertaken by the UN and bilaterally. The
programme has had a number of successes, including
the design of a new curriculum at the police academy to incorporate
human rights materials throughout. It produced its first batch of East
Timorese trainers in November 2005, who were able to graduate their
first basic recruit course of 260 new personnel earlier this year. The
TLPDP recently received a favourable mention in the 2006 human rights
watch report. Discussions have been held with the UN assessment team to
look at how the work of TLPDP might complement that of the new UN
policing activity in East
Timor.
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government’s position is on the recent decision by the new UN Human Rights Council to send a fact-finding mission to the Palestinian Territories; and if she will make a statement. [86677]
Dr. Howells: At the General Affairs and External Relations Council on 17 July, EU Foreign Ministers expressed their support for the efforts of the UN Secretary General. We welcome the UN’s fact finding visit to the Occupied Territories.
Mr. Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what meetings (a) she and (b) her officials have had with representatives of the United States’ Department of Justice in the last 12 months. [86487]
Mr. McCartney: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not had any meetings with representatives of the United States Department of Justice since taking up office. Officials from our embassy in Washington meet regularly with representatives of the United States Department of Justice. Most recently, they accompanied my noble Friend the Minister of State for Criminal Justice and Offender Management, Baroness Scotland of Asthal, on calls on representatives of the Department during her visit to Washington on 13 and 14 July.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of Statefor International Development what advertising campaigns the Department has run between 2000 and June 2004; and what the (a) date and (b) cost was of each. [87060]
Mr. Thomas: DFID did not have any major advertising campaigns during this period, and any activities which might be categorised as advertising were not disaggregated from programme activity and spend across DFID during this period. To undertake information gathering to separate out such costs would incur disproportionate costs. The main advertising costs incurred during this period were for recruitment advertising and is listed as follows:
| Financial year | Spend (£) |
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 10 July, 2006, Official Report, columns 1404-0W, on Afghanistan, what the job description is for each of the roles listed. [85762]
Hilary Benn: DFID has 16 UK officials currently based in Afghanistan. 14 are based in Kabul, one in Badakhshan and one in Helmand. Job descriptions for these posts are as follows:
Overall financial, policy, programme, management, and security responsibility for DFID programme and staff in Afghanistan.
Provides the full range of support to the Head of Department, including acting as Head during the Head of Department's absence. Specific responsibility for policy, programme and strategy issues and leadership of team responsible for briefing and liaison with other Government Departments.
Leads on the policy, planning and implementation of Economic Management and Aid Effectiveness team objectives. This includes strengthening donor co-ordination and harmonisation in Afghanistan; contributing to discussions on key issues affecting the economic management reform agenda; management of technical assistance to Ministries of Finance; and overseeing and managing the design and implementation of the team project portfolio, which focuses on aid channelled through the Government budget.
Provides support to the Head of Office in the co-ordination and direction of DFID's overall programme of support to the Government of Afghanistan. Duties include the development and communication of policy and strategy; building and strengthening partnerships between DFID Afghanistan and other donors; and effective support to Ministers and Senior Officials on programme-wide issues.
Provides support, guidance and mentoring to local programme staff to build capacity in effective project/programme cycle management. Provide responses to general public inquiries, freedom of information requests, parliamentary questions and ministerial correspondence. Supports the development and implementation of DFID's communication strategy. Maintains an accurate financial overview of the DFID programme, and provides some administrative assistance to the Head of Office.
Leads on
policy, planning and implementation of the Livelihoods work programme.
Main duties include ensuring the livelihoods programme contributes
effectively to delivery of
DFID's strategy in Afghanistan; development of priority planned new
activities in the Livelihoods portfolio; and engagement with other
donors and the Afghanistan Government on strengthening the policy and
planning environment for broad livelihoods work. Also the security
officer for
DFID.
Contributes to the development of nationally-owned strategies and programmes addressing rural livelihoods in Afghanistan; monitors DFID interventions in rural livelihoods through participating in programme/project committees; and prepares briefings on livelihood issues and DFID progress for UK Ministers and senior officials.
Works within the state building team on design and implementation of security sector reform policy and programming. Key duties include providing effective support on policy and programmes relating to security and development issues; building relationships with international donors, Provincial Reconstruction Teams and the military in order to build a more coordinated and coherent response in area of security and development; providing effective advice and leadership on the strategic direction of the Global Conflict Prevention Pool for Afghanistan in partnership with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the Ministry of Defence (MoD); and maintaining responsibility for building awareness and communication on issues of civil-military coordination.
Responsible for ensuring effective project/programme cycle management in line with DFID procedures and good practice; supporting the team leader in policy dialogue and formulation, particularly in the area of public administration reform and provincial stabilisation; providing responses to requests for briefing and parliamentary questions; and composing reports on different aspects of the team's programme.
Lead responsibility for HR issues including posting and promotion, external recruitment and staff development. Responsibility for the day-to-day running of the office, and ensuring the administration team has effective systems in place to meet corporate rules and regulations. Lead responsibility for administration budget, forecasting, further development of financial management and responsibility for asset management.
Supports the office manager to ensure effective day-to-day running of the office and guest houses. Responsible for financial monitoring of the administration budget; ensuring delivery of all basic office services including logistics for all visitors for which DFID have duty of care; ensuring vehicle fleet is managed effectively; and monitoring of health and safety procedures.
DFID representative in the British Embassy Drugs Team, with a particular responsibility for advising on development and rural livelihoods issues.
International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) Development Adviser
Provides advice to the Commander of ISAF, the ISAF Command Group and HQ Allied Rapid Reaction Core (ARRC)/ISAF planning staff regarding the impact of military activities on development and humanitarian issues. Also responsible for liaising with NATO member states regarding current development and humanitarian priorities to ensure coherence of HQ ARRC/ISAF strategy and planning; Badakhshan.
Located in a multi-donor mission in Faizerbad, concentrating on sub-national governance reform work, development coordination with provincial authorities and ensuring that national programmes can be rolled out and implemented at a provincial level. Currently in Kabul awaiting deployment.
Located in the Helmand Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT), helping develop, maintain and articulate a strategic vision and operational work plan for the PRT including how DFID can best contribute to provincial stabilisation in the south.
Mr. Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) how much was paid by the Government in compensation to farmers in Afghanistan for voluntary opium poppy eradication in (a) 2002, (b) 2003, (c) 2004 and (d) 2005; [86475]
Dr. Howells: I have been asked to reply.
Mr. Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much was spent by his Department on (a) opium poppy eradication and (b) rural development in Afghanistan in (i) 2002, (ii) 2003, (iii) 2004, (iv) 2005 and (v) 2006. [86490]
Hilary Benn: The information is as follows.
| Financial year | Eradication (£ million) |
| Financial year | Rural development (£ million) |
Mr. Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the progress of the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria. [86429]
Mr. Thomas: The mid-term review of the first replenishment of the Global Fund took place on4-6 July. The review highlighted that the Global Fund is demonstrating significant progress against key targets, is improving grant performance, especially in weak systems and fragile states, and is implementing the recommendations of the Global Task Team on improving AIDS co-ordination among multilateral institutions and international donors.
544,000 people on antiretroviral treatment
1.43 million received tuberculosis treatment
11.3 million insecticide-treated bed nets distributed
7.3 million people treated for malaria
5.7 million people received HIV counselling and testing
560,000 orphans provided with basic care and support.
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions he has had with the government of Angola concerning its request for a post conflict donor conference; and if he will make a statement. [85538]
Hilary Benn: I refer my hon. Friend to the response I gave on 3 November 2005, Official Report, column 1292W.
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether the Department funds projects in Argentina to tackle (a) trafficking in people and (b) the commercial sexual exploitation of children. [86343]
Mr. Thomas: The Department for International Development is not funding any projects in Argentina to tackle trafficking in people or the commercial exploitation of children.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment his Department has made of outbreaks of cholera in (a) Southern Sudan and (b) Southern Africa. [87466]
Hilary
Benn: In South Sudan, an ongoing cholera epidemic has
resulted in 16,964 reported cases of the disease, with 504 deaths. Of
these, 6,163 cases and 116 deaths have been in Juba. The international
response, working in partnership with the Sudanese Ministry of Health,
has recently made good progress in bringing the outbreak under control
in the South. Over the last week in Juba, for instance, there were only
10 new cases and no deaths reported. There continue to be new cases
reported in some parts of the South but the response has become
increasingly effective in containing these and treating those infected,
according to DFID’s humanitarian
partners.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will list the Unnumbered Command Papers produced by his Department in each session since 1976; by what means (a) hon. Members and (b) members of the public can (i) inspect and (ii) obtain copies; and if he will make a statement. [81325]
Hilary Benn: Documents which are laid before Parliament as unnumbered Command Papers are generally restricted to Explanatory Notes to Treaties, Explanatory Memoranda to Statutory Instruments and some Treasury Minutes. All other documents are published in the Numbered Command Papers series.
A complete list of unnumbered Command Papers can be produced only at disproportionate cost.
Copies of all unnumbered Command Papers are made available via the Vote Office.
Roger Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many disabled staff in his Department received support through the Access to Work scheme (a) in each of the last five years and (b) in 2006-07. [82230]
Mr. Thomas: The number of disabled staff in DFID that received support through the Access to Work scheme in each of the last five years is detailed in the following table:
| DFID staff (number) | |
Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to his answer of 10 July 2006, Official Report, column 1408W, on departmental travel costs, whether each flight was a return flight; how many of the trips involved overnight stays; what the cost of overnight stays was; what the purpose was of the trips; and what assessment was made of using alternative travel to Glasgow to achieve the objectives. [86376]
Mr. Thomas: There were 1,056 return flights from London to Glasgow during 2005, 874 of which involved overnight stays at a total cost of £126,642. All travellers are required to confirm the business purpose when booking flights but DFID does not keep a central record. We are evaluating our investment in video-conferencing and better communication to provide a cost effective alternative to travel and staff must confirm before booking flights that they have considered conducting their business by other methods.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on his Department’s commitments to address climate change and environmental degradation in developing countries. [87475]
Hilary Benn: The Department for International Development (DFID) has issued two key papers in recent months outlining our commitments on climate change and the environment.
environmental wealth—natural resources—is a main source of growth in developing countries, and central to livelihoods of poor people;
environmental sustainability is one of the seven essential components for developing country growth;
we can help countries develop better approaches to using assets e.g. forests and water, in a more sustainable manner, and help manage the environmental impacts of growth;
we need to focus on the global consequences of growth—climate change has negative consequences for poor countries;
developing countries need assistance to access cleaner energy;
we need better information about the predicted impacts of climate change; and
developing countries need support to adapt and build resilience to climate change.
integrating environmental management for poverty reduction into our work, focusing on opportunities as well as risks;
supporting country driven processes e.g. poverty reduction strategies, to integrate local and global environmental priorities;
providing technical assistance in selected countries and circumstances; and
strengthening donor co-ordination on the environment, internationally and at country level.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how his Department will assist in strengthening (a) biodiversity, (b) the ecosystem and (c) conservation services in developing countries. [87476]
Hilary Benn: DFID is committed to incorporating biodiversity into development in helping to improve poor people’s livelihoods and in supporting developing countries to use the benefits of biodiversity and conservation to reduce poverty.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many staff in his Department work on (a) climate change and (b) other environmental issues in developing countries, based(i) in the UK and (ii) abroad. [87478]
Hilary Benn: Implementing DFID’s environment policy involves a range of staff, including programme managers and advisers with environment, livelihoods and infrastructure responsibilities.
Global Environmental Assets (covering climate change, biodiversity, desertification etc.);
Environment for Sustainable Development (local environmental issues and minerals); and
Water and Energy.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many meetings he has had with other Ministers to discuss climate change and its impact on developing countries in the last 12 months. [87479]
Hilary Benn: I was a member of the ad-hoc ministerial committee on climate change established prior to the G8 summit in 2005 to give officials a steer on this issue. This group met several times in the run up to the summit. Following the G8 summit responsibility for the international dimension of the UK’s climate change strategy was taken on by the ministerial committee on energy and environment (EE), chaired by the Prime Minister, of which I am a member. In late June 2006, I met with the cross-party group of MPs who are participating in the G8+5 climate change dialogue, to discuss DFID’s approach to tackling climate change. Climate change has also been identified as a key priority in the UK Government’s latest Development White Paper.
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department allocated to tackling diseases in developing countries in the last year for which figures are available, broken down by disease. [87729]
Mr. Thomas: DFID uses a range of different aid instruments, from direct support to countries to funding through multilateral agencies. It is therefore not possible to break down spending on individual communicable diseases; however it is possible to separate out AIDS from other communicable diseases.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment his Department has made of the food security situation in (a) Southern Africa, (b) the Horn of Africa and (c) Western Africa. [87465]
Hilary Benn: In Southern Africa, the overall picture on food production shows a marked improvement this year compared to the 2004-05 growing season, when DFID spent more than £67 million to deliver emergency assistance to up to 11 million affected people. Urgent humanitarian needs are unlikely this year, except in Zimbabwe, where needs remain pronounced.
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions his Department has had with the World Health Organisation on access to clean water and sanitation in Haiti. [85998]
Hilary Benn [holding answer 19 July 2006]: DFID regularly discusses water and sanitation with the World Health Organisation (WHO) through the Joint Monitoring Programme implemented by WHO and UNICEF, which provides data on access to safe water and basic sanitation. However, we have not had any recent specific discussions on Haiti.
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what projects are being funded by his Department in Helmand province; and how much is being spent on each project. [85757]
Hilary
Benn: During my recent visit to Helmand, I announced a
£30 million Helmand Agriculture and Rural Development Programme.
This aims to increase economic opportunities for the rural poor of
Helmand. It will support the Government of Afghanistan to roll out
existing successful National Programmes in Helmand. These programmes
will provide improved water and sanitation, essential small scale rural
infrastructure, greater access to small loans, improved roads and access
to markets and agricultural inputs and training to the people of
Helmand. The programme will be implemented over three
years.
| Project | Start day in May 2006 | Total cost (£) | Amount paid to date (£) |
Rehabilitation of the a shrine: construction of wall and gate | |||
Rehabilitation of area adjoining shrine of road and footpath | |||
Improving a Friday market and construction of protection wall | |||
Disbursement of food aid provided by Government of Afghanistan | |||
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what aid his Department has provided in response to the earthquake that struck Java in May. [87285]
Mr. Thomas: DFID has so far given £5 million to relief agencies working to address the urgent humanitarian needs of people affected by the earthquake that struck Java in May. That support includes £1 million for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to pay for the provision of emergency relief supplies. The rest of the money is being spent through various UN and non-governmental organisations to provide medical supplies and services, shelter and water and sanitation.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance his Department has given the Java island following the tsunami; and if he will make a statement. [87665]
Mr.
Thomas: DFID has not provided any assistance in the wake
of the tsunami in Central and West Java because the Government of
Indonesia has stated thatit does not require international
assistance. The Indonesian Minister of People’s Welfare has
provided 750 million Indonesian Rupiah (80 million US Dollars)
to the local government in Ciasmis, West Java and250 million
Indonesian Rupiah (27 million US Dollars) to the local government in
Cilacap, Central Java for their emergency
response.
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much UK aid was granted to Lebanon in each of the last five years; and how these funds were allocated. [88124]
Hilary Benn: The UK channels most of its aid to Lebanon through the EC and the UN. The multilateral figures are based on UK core contributions to theEC and the UN. The UK has also provided some bilateral support to Lebanon, largely through the ‘Small Grants scheme’ administered by the Foreignand Commonwealth Office.
| Multilateral (£ million) | Bilateral, (£ million) | ||||||
| EC | UN | Total multilateral | Grants and other aid in kind | Humanitarian assistance | Total bilateral | Grand total | |
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of Statefor International Development what projects his Department is funding in (a) Sudan, (b) Lebanon, (c) Israel and (d) Syria; and if he will make a statement. [87328]
Hilary Benn: We are supporting the following projects and activities in Sudan:
UN-managed Common Humanitarian Fund, plus support for UN sector co-ordination
Humanitarian programmes of Non Governmental Organisations
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
World Bank-managed Multi Donor Trust Funds (National and South), plus consultancy support
Basic Services Fund for Southern Sudan
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP): Local Government Recovery project
Safety, Security and Access to Justice programme (Southern Sudan)
Christian Aid: National Strategy
Capacity Building for Government of Southern Sudan
UNICEF: Support for Strengthening Water Sector Capacity in Southern Sudan
Malaria Consortium National Response
Ockenden International: Partnership for Peace
Capacity building for Debt Management
Rift Valley Institute
GOAL: Female Literacy and Empowerment
Scholarships programme
UNDP: Strategic Partnership Arrangement
Support for UN/ World Bank Darfur needs assessment
BBC World Service Trust: Darfur Lifeline Radio
Tufts Institute: Research on livelihoods in Darfur
PACT: Southern Sudanese Pre-Interim Transition to Peace
UNDP : Support for Demobilisation, Disarmament and Reintegration ( DDR)
Security Sector Adviser
International Military Advisers Team
Peace Building Fund
Support for East Sudan Talks
Support for Africa Union information campaign
Support for the Africa Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS)
Peace Now Settlement Watch
Ir Amin—Advocacy project on the status of Jerusalem
Economic Co-operation Foundation—Gaza Disengagement
Council for Peace and Security—Advocacy work on Israeli separation
HaMoKed/B’Tselem—Freedom of movement for Palestinians
Palestinian media activities in support of the Roadmap (joint GCPP/USAID)
Ah Hoc Liaison Committee
EXACT—Management of Shared Water Resources to Reduce Pollution Risks
Police and Justice Sector Reform—Training courses for the Lebanese Internal Security Forces.
Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how his Department measures progress against the Millennium Development Goals in relation to countries where data on performance in key sectors is missing or incomplete. [86032]
Hilary Benn [holding answer 18 July 2006]: DFID uses international data from the World Bank andthe United Nations to assess progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in the countries in which it has a programme. It is not possible to assess progress towards the MDGs in countries where data on performance in key sectors is missing or incomplete. In such countries, DFID will identify other ways to measure progress. For example, DFID might use targets contained in partner government national strategies as the basis on which progress is assessed. In some countries, sample surveys conducted through DFID projects or by other agencies provide useful data on which assessments of progress can be made.
Andrew
George: To ask the Secretary of State for
International Development how much funding his Department has provided
for the Millennium
Ecosystem Assessment; and if his Department will fund a future
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment.
[87477]
Mr. Thomas: DFID provided funding to the International Institute for Environment and Development of approximately £68,000 for lead co-ordination of a forests working group of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment and contributions on climate change. DFID recognises the importance of the Assessment and it informed development of our own environmental policy. As far as we know there are no plans to undertake another Assessment so soon after the previous one. We would consider possible support to such an initiative should this decision be made.
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what projects in the Palestinian Territories funded by (a) the United Kingdom and (b) the European Union were damaged or destroyed by Israeli military action in the month prior to 19 July. [88156]
Hilary Benn: Because of military activity, aid agencies currently face difficulty assessing the extent of damage to facilities in the Gaza Strip. However, initial reports from northern Gaza indicate that four schools and one clinic provided for Palestinian refugees through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) have sustained heavy damages. Fifty seven empty food containers leased by UNRWA have also been damaged at a cost of £31,000. The European Community and EU member states collectively provide more than half of UNRWA’s core funding and two of the damaged schools were specifically financed from European Community funds.
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions he has had with the Government of Paraguay on (a) debt bondage affecting indigenous peoples in the Chaco and (b) the trafficking of human beings and the system known as criadazgo affecting child domestic workers; and whether the Department is supporting projects in Paraguay to tackle these problems. [86342]
Mr. Thomas: The Department for International Development is not funding projects nor had discussions with the Government of Paraguay on the problems of debt bondage affecting indigenous people in the Chaco or on the trafficking of human beings.
David
Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for
International Development what assessment he has made of the impact of
the classification of returned
medicines under the Hazardous Waste Regulationson the provision
of pharmaceutical treatments to developing countries; and if he will
make a statement.
[86324]
Hilary Benn: When returned medicines have been sent abroad to developing countries in the past, they have caused a number of problems in receiving countries. This has been because of quality and labelling issues, the medicines were not always the ones wanted, and the cost of sorting and then disposing of the useless products.
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department has spent on using public affairs and public relations agencies in each of the last two years; and on what projects in each case. [84820]
Mr. Thomas: In the last two years, the following three projects using public affairs or public relations agencies were commissioned centrally by DFID at a total cost of £223,509.19.
June to September 2004
Agency: COI
Total Cost: £16,890.63
Project: To provide DFID with a corporate communications strategy and three-year plan. COI developed communication objectives, strategies and plans that would help achieve DFID’s organisational objectives.
November 2005 to March 2006
Agency: Weber Shandwick
Total Cost: £203,918.56
Project: To support the Asia 2015 conference with media relations in both the UK and throughout key markets in Asia, specifically India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal.
April 2006
Agency: Capricorn Videos
Total Cost: £2,700
Project: To record the DFID Public Information and Consultation Week in April 2006 in order to produce a two-hour film for local television.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many public appointments are within his patronage; what (a) salary and (b) other emoluments are attached to each; and what the comparable figures were in (i) 1976, (ii) 1986 and (iii) 1996. [83174]
Hilary Benn: DFID currently has 17 public appointments that are the responsibility of Secretary of State for International Development. This comprises two members of the Crown Agents Holding and Realisation Board and 15 members of the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission. The Chair of the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC) currently receives £5,000 per annum. An honoraria of £200 is paid to those CSC Board members who participate in selection boards for awarding scholarships. Additionally, CSC Board members receive remuneration for travel expenses. The members of the Crown Agents Holding and Realisation Board attract no emoluments.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment his Department has made of the (a) humanitarian and (b) security situation in Somalia. [87470]
Hilary Benn: We keep the humanitarian situation in Somalia under constant review. There have been a number of assessment visits this year with DFID participation, and I visited the drought-affected area around Wajid myself in May.
The northern parts of Somalia remain relatively stable.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment his Department has made of the (a) humanitarian and (b) security situation in the Sudan, broken down by region. [87469]
Hilary Benn: The information is as follows:
Security information is as follows:
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans he has to tackle the shortage of water in Darfur. [88112]
Hilary Benn: Water access and management are root causes of the conflict in Darfur DFID’s expenditurefor water and sanitation in Sudan is approximately£17 million per year, which accounts for approximately half of DFID’s total water and sanitation expenditure in Africa. The bulk of these funds are provided as humanitarian support channelled through the Common Humanitarian Fund and NGOs. We are also providing direct support to UNICEF, which is a key donor for the water sector.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will assess the outcome of the Brussels Conference on Darfur; and what additional resources have been pledged. [88113]
Hilary Benn: The EU estimates that at least$186 million was pledged to the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) at a Donors' Conference in Brussels on 18 July, though they are still finalising the total figure. This is a very creditable result. The UK re-affirmed its pledge of 20 million for AMIS for this financial year. We stand ready to go on pressing others to contribute more should it prove necessary.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many (a) helicopters and (b) armoured vehicles have been lent to the African Union Mission in Sudan. [88114]
Hilary Benn: The Canadian Government have supplied 105 armoured personnel carriers and 25 helicopters, providing 1,200 helicopter flying hrs per month to the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS). Canada has recently announced it would also contribute a further 200 helicopter flying hours per month. We are not aware that any other helicopters or armoured vehicles have been lent to AMIS.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what strategies have been put in place to protect women from violence in Darfur, with particular reference to those residing in camps. [88115]
Hilary
Benn: The African Union mission in Darfur (AMIS)
co-ordinates firewood patrols to provide
protection for women when they leave camps for internally displaced
persons (IDPs). Where this is happening the number of reported rapes
has decreased significantly, and we are encouraging the African Union
(AU) to promote this practice. AMIS also has civilian police presence
in many IDP camps and we are urging AMIS within its resources to
prioritise the civilian protection elements of its
mandate.
Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of Statefor International Development what funding his Department (a) has allocated in each of the last three financial years and (b) plans to allocate in each of the next three financial years to technical assistance. [84138]
Hilary Benn: Technical assistance is the provision of know-how in the form of personnel, training, research and associated costs.
| Expenditure on technical assistance for last three years is as follows: | ||||||
| £000 | ||||||
| Category of Technical Assistance (TA) | 2002-03 | As percentage of total TA | 2003-04 | As percentage of total TA | 2004-05 | As percentage of total TA |
Mr. Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will place in the Library a copy of the deliberations of the Treaty of Amsterdam Article 133 Committee since 1997. [79788]
Mr. McCartney: I have been asked to reply.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much funding has been pledged to the UN Central Emergency Response Fund for 2007 by (a) the UK, (b) the EU and (c) G8 countries. [87467]
Hilary Benn: The UK has disbursed £40 millionto the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) for year 2006. The UK has pledged a further £40 million per annum for the next three years (ie in total the UK will provide £160 million over four years).
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions he has had with his G8 counterparts on their (a) current and (b) planned contributions to the UN Central Emergency Response Fund. [87468]
Hilary Benn: During the development of the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), my officials andI had discussions with various G8 countries at bilateral and international meetings and by telephone. Five G8 members—UK, Canada, US, Japan and France have committed funds to the CERF and I continue to encourage other countries to contribute.
Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his Department's policy is on (a) the provision of piped water connections to provide water to the urban poor and (b) other forms of water provision; and if he will make a statement. [85801]
Hilary
Benn [holding answer 19 July 2006]: DFID helps
developing country governments to implement their own plans for
provision of water and sanitation, which include both piped and public
or communal provision to safe water, as appropriate. DFID provides
direct financing and technical know-how. We also support the
international system, particularly the UN
to gather data on access to safe water and basic sanitation. In most
countries, access to water and sanitation is better in urban areas than
it is in rural. Access to water may be through house connections or
through public connections close to the home.
Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department has spent on assistance on water provision in cities in the developing world since 1997. [85803]
Hilary Benn [holding answer 19 July 2006]: DFID commissioned an independent report on its expenditure on water and sanitation in the developing world. This report, “Financial Support to the Water Sector”, was produced by Atkins Consultants and is publicly available at http://www.dfid.gov.uk/pubs/files/water-sector-finance.pdf. Copies have also been placed in the Libraries of both Houses, in response to previous related parliamentary questions.
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what programmes are funded by his Department on (a) women’s rights, (b) equality issues and (c) domestic violence prevention in (i) Iraq and (ii) Afghanistan. [86481]
Hilary Benn: DFID currently has two programmes supporting civil society in Iraq in promoting women’s rights and equality issues, among other aspects.
We have not funded specific projects in Iraq on domestic violence prevention.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what advertising campaigns the Department has run between 2000 and June 2004; and what the (a) date and (b) cost was of each. [87055]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Expenditure on advertising by the Department procured through Central Office of Information (COI) for 2000-01, 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04, was £9.4 million, £6.1 million, £1l.5 million, £4.1 million. Figures exclude VAT. The following table contains details. The Department does not hold information on other campaigns centrally, including those by non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs), and to do so would entail disproportionate cost. In addition to provide information against each entry on the intended audience and purpose of the campaign, would again entail disproportionate costs.
| £ | |
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many and which buildings occupied by his Department have air conditioning installed; what plans he has to install further air conditioning in his Department's buildings; and if he will make a statement. [87107]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Of the 15 buildings currently occupied by the Department (either leased commercially or as a tenant of another government body), the following have centralised cooling or air conditioning systems: 1 Victoria Street, London SW1; 151 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1; Kingsgate House, London SW1; Amberley House, Gloucester; Tay House, Glasgow.
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions he has had with his counterparts in states in the Airbus consortium; and if he will make a statement. [86723]
Margaret Hodge: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, met his counterparts at a meeting at the Farnborough Air Show on 17 July. A copy of the communiqué issued at that meeting is as follows:
Airbus Ministerial Meeting at Farnborough International Air Show 2006, Monday 17 July
Communiqué text:
The Ministers of France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom responsible for the civil aerospace industry held their regular meeting at the Farnborough International Air Show on Monday 17 July 2006.
The meeting was chaired by Alistair DARLING MP, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. Also presentwere Dominique PERBEN, French Minister for Transport, Equipment, Tourism and the Sea; Georg Wilhelm ADAMOWITSCH, German State Secretary for Economics; Jose MONTILLA, Spanish Minister for Industry, Tourism and Trade; and Margaret HODGE MP, British Minister for Industry and the Regions. The industry was represented by Christian STREIFF, and the representatives of the Airbus shareholder committee, Thomas ENDERS, Louis GALLOIS and Francisco FERNANDEZ SAINZ for EADS and Mike TURNER for BAE Systems Plc. The Ministers offered their best wishes to the new management team of Airbus and EADS.
Airbus made a presentation on the status of the A380 including an explanation of the industrial issues that have led to some delay in the delivery schedule for the aircraft and the steps Airbus is taking to remedy the situation. Ministers noted this presentation and expressed their confidence in the ability of Airbus management to address these industrial issues and in the commercial success of the A380 programme.
The Ministers welcomed Airbus' response to the market and its intention to launch an all-new family of widebody aircraft. The Ministers confirmed their commitment to support the European aerospace industry. They reaffirmed their agreement to support Airbus to continue to innovate and to develop programmes in the context of international competition.
The Ministers once again expressed their desire for a negotiated solution to the current WTO dispute, but stressed the need for a balanced outcome regarding support for both current and future programmes so as to ensure a level playing field.
Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made in implementing the proposals put forward by the Action Plan on the Protection and Welfare of Animals with respect to the trading of cat and dog fur and derived products. [88208]
Mr. McCartney: Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner Kyprianou stated at the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council on 20 February that the European Commission was planning to publish a proposal on the import of cat and dog fur within the next few months. We are currently awaiting that proposal.
Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of how much cat and dog fur has been imported into Britain in the last 12 months. [88212]
Mr. McCartney: No evidence of significant imports has been brought to my attention. The UK has requested that a separate tariff code be introduced by the EU so that the level of such imports can be accurately assessed.
Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to his Department's paper of10 July 2006 on the Review of UK Assisted Areas Stage 2—The Government's response and draft assisted areas map, what average (a) level of manufacturing share of employment, (b) claimant rate of incapacity benefit, (c) employment rate and (d) level of adult skills at level 2 and above in (i) Great Britain, (ii) each ward of Scottish Borders council area, (iii) each ward of Dumfries and Galloway council area and (iv) each ward of Berwick borough council area were used to assess future eligibility for assistance; and what the (A) half a standard deviation and (B) full standard deviation (1) above and (2) below the Great Britain average are. [87356]
Margaret Hodge: The data for Great Britain, including wards in the Scottish Border council, Dumfries and Galloway council and Berwick borough council areas are available from the sources specified. The description gives a full definition of the data used in prioritising assisted area coverage in the Draft Map, including the thresholds related to the Great Britain average and standard deviation. The Department will place this information on its website, at
http://www.dti.gov.uk/regional/assisted-areas/assisted-areas-review/page24618.html.
half a standard deviation: employment rate less than 66.0 per cent.
one standard deviation: employment rate less than 62.8 per cent.
half a standard deviation: Level 2+ skills rate less than48.5 per cent.
one standard deviation: Level 2+ skills rate less than 44.8 per cent
A three-year average has been taken, using data from November 2003, November 2004 and November 2005.
half a standard deviation: IB claimant rate greater than9.7 per cent.
one standard deviation: IB claimant rate greater than 11.4 per cent.
half a standard deviation: manufacturing share of employment greater than 15.3 per cent.
one standard deviation: manufacturing share of employment greater than18.2 per cent.
Sources:
All data used are publicly available. Data can be obtained through the following websites:
NOMIS
http://www.nomisweb.co.uk/
Department of Work and Pensions
http://www.dwp. gov.uk/asd/tabtool. asp
General Register Office for Scotland (for Scottish Census data)
http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/census/censushm/index .html
Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the impact of the closure of post offices, bank branches and independent retail shops in Nottingham Southand in the East Midlands on the (a) frequency, (b) distance and (c) mode of transport of journeys by customers; and what assessment he has made ofthe impact of such closures on the level of (i) environmental emissions and (ii) traffic congestion. [79225]
Margaret Hodge: All local transport authorities are required to develop plans, termed Accessibility Strategies, to ensure that citizens have ease of access to facilities and amenities in their area. These are part of the Local Transport Plan process and Accessibility Strategies were submitted to Department for Transport as part of the second round of Local Transport Plans in March 2006.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people have declared themselves bankrupt in each London borough since 1997. [87779]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The following table records the numbers of individual bankruptcy orders in the London Region classified according to Official Receivers’ offices from 1997-98 to 2005-06.
Figures are not separately available for each London borough.
| Bankruptcies recorded in London Region 1997-98 to 2005-06( 1, 2) | |
| Number | |
| (1
)Croydon Official Receiver’s Office is classified under
London Region for 2004-05 and 2005-06 only, when it accounted for 1,678
and 2,446 bankruptcies
respectively. (2) The latest two years figures also include Public Interest Unit (PIU) and Carousel, which together amount to 18 bankruptcies in 2004-05 and 18 in 2005-06. (3 )3,232 excl Croydon) (4) 4,253 excl Croydon) | |
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the number of farmers who went bankrupt in England in each of the last five years. [88737]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The closest available estimate for bankruptcies amongst self-employed farmers is that for bankruptcies falling under the category “agriculture” according to the Insolvency Trade Classification and these can be found in the following table:
| Bankruptcies in England and Wales for Agriculture, 2001 to 2005 | |
| Bankruptcy orders | |
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many members of staff in the Insolvency Service are involved in dealing with the BCCI case; and what costs the Insolvency Service has incurred to date in relation to the case. [87168]
Jim Fitzpatrick: No individual member of staff of the Insolvency Service is continuously involved in work related to the liquidation of BCCI but staff are deployed as and when required in dealing with inquiries, correspondence and receiving reports from and discussing issues with the liquidators. The cost of the involvement of Insolvency Service staff in work related to BCCI since 1991 could only be calculated as disproportionate cost.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has for powers for the proposed Local Better Regulation Office to inspect local authorities’ environmental health and trading standards departments. [85732]
Mr.
McCartney: The Local Better Regulation Office will have a
role overseeing and co-ordinating the work of trading standards and
environmental health. The Local Better Regulation Office will work in
partnership with local authorities and will not micro manage
environmental health and trading standards departments. Its roles will
include delivering a coordinated set of national priorities across
trading standards and environmental health services; driving up
performance standards within the wider local government performance
framework; gathering evidence and responding to the concerns of
business and local authorities about inconsistencies in the enforcement
of regulation; driving best practice to
reduce unnecessary burdens and establishing common frameworks where they
add value. The Government will make an announcement on the powers LBRO
will have later this
year.
Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the Government’s definition of broadband was last changed; what criteria were applied to the decision; and if he will make a statement. [86135]
Margaret Hodge: We use the Office of Telecommunications’ (Ofcom) definition, published in their report “Review of the Wholesale Broadband Access Markets” of May 2004 as “higher bandwidth, always-on service, offering data rates of 128kbps and above”. This definition is used to measure take-up of the dynamic range of services available to residential and business consumers that are classed by the industry as broadband and to make comparisons with other European countries.
Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the Answer of 3 July 2006, Official Report, column 851W, on the Business Review, by what criteria companies are expected to assess whether a contractual or supplier relationship is necessary to understand the development, performance or position of their business when deciding what to include in the Business Review under Clause 399 of the Company Law Reform Bill; and whether guidance will be issued on this matter. [87233]
Margaret
Hodge: It is for the directors to judge whether and what
information about a contractual or supplier relationship is necessary
to provide a balanced and comprehensive analysis of the development,
performance and position of the company's business consistent with the
size and complexity of the business. The Accounting Standards Board
will review its best
practice guidance to ensure that it remains up todate in light
of the outcome of the parliamentary consideration of the Bill. It is
for shareholders to hold the directors to
account.
Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the statement by the Minister of State for Industry and the Regions to Standing Committee D on 13 July 2006, Official Report, column 703, on clause 399 of the Company Law Reform Bill, by what criteria he expects companies to assess whether a contractual or other relationship is essential to the business and therefore required to be included in the Business Review by subsection (4) of clause 399. [87234]
Margaret Hodge: Subsection (4) of clause 399 of the Company Law Reform Bill requires the directors’ Business Review to be a balanced and comprehensive analysis of the development, performance and position of the company’s business consistent with the sizeand complexity of the business. It is for the directorsto judge whether and what information about a contractual or supplier relationship is necessary to be included in the review and for the shareholders to hold the directors accountable for the information provided in their review.
Mr. Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to promote (a) investment in industry and (b) business start-ups in South East London. [87764]
Margaret Hodge: Responsibility for the promotion of investment in industry and business start-ups in South East London (Bexley, Lewisham and Greenwich) rests primarily with partner organisations managed by the London Development Agency (LDA).
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the contribution to the Citizens Advice Bureaux from (a) local authorities and (b) central government in each of the last five years. [88131]
Mr. McCartney: Nearly 600 Citizens Advice Bureaux operate independently as a number of separate charities each covering one, or more, operating location(s). Records are not kept centrally of their funding levels and sources.
Mr. Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will fund a clean coal integrated carbon capture demonstration project; and if he will make a statement. [87436]
Malcolm Wicks: The newly published Energy Review Report makes clear that the Government will formally launch a £10 million call during September 2006 as part of its Carbon Abatement Technologies Strategy. This call will focus on pre-commercial demonstration of key components and systems to support Carbon Abatement Technologies and will include Clean Coal and Carbon Capture and Storage technologies.
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make it his policy to include clean coal production in his future energy plans. [87927]
Malcolm Wicks: The Carbon Abatement Technologies Strategy sets out the Government's role in supporting the development of low carbon technologies for fossil fuel power generation. These low carbon technologies include clean coal among others.
Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans there are to require inclusion of information on social and environmental impact in reports for directors of public companies. [75794]
Mr.
McCartney: Under the Company Law Reform Bill, all
companies, apart from small companies, will continue to be required to
produce a Business Review, in accordance with the EU Accounts
Modernisation Directive. Quoted companies, to the extent necessary for
an understanding of the development, performance or position of their
business, will need to include the main trends and factors likely to
affect the company’s business in the future and information
about environmental matters (including the impact of the
company’s business on the environment), the company’s
employees and social and community issues. The review must include
information about any policies of the company in relation to those
matters and the effectiveness of those policies. All business
reviews must be consistent with the size and complexity of each
company’s business and, to the extent necessary for an
understanding of the company’s business, include where
appropriate analysis using key performance indicators relating to
environmental matters and employee
matters.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with (a) the Treasury and (b) the Cabinet Office regarding the pre-comprehensive spending review report; and if he will make a statement. [82842]
Mr. Darling: Ministers and officials have many discussions covering a wide range of issues including on spending.
Mr. Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much was spent on consultants by his Department in each year since 1997. [73170]
Jim Fitzpatrick [holding answer 23 May 2006]: Central records indicate that the cost to the Department of engaging consultants in each of the following financial years has been:
| £ million | |
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the companies which were paid consultancy fees by his Department in 2005-06; how much each was paid; and what each of the companies was used to accomplish. [69690]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Central records indicate that the Department spent £53.6 million on consultancy services in financial year 2005-06.
Further information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many public consultations his Department undertook in the last year for which figures are available; and what the cost was (a) in total and (b) of each consultation. [72901]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The total number of formal written consultations for the year to May 2006 is 88. Consultation exercises currently being run by the Department of Trade and Industry are published on the Department of Trade and Industry website http:www//dit.gov.uk.
Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the (a) 0800, (b) 0845 and (c) 0870 telephone numbers for the public administered by (i) his Department and (ii) agencies which report to him. [56543]
Jim Fitzpatrick: A number of “08” telephones services are administered by the Department for public use. From central records the information that can be provided on the Department's use of 0800, 0845 and 0870 telephone numbers is as follows:
| Number | Department/Agency |
| (1
)Currently discontinued and awaiting
reallocation. | |
Letter from Jeanne Spinks, dated 24 July 2006:
You asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list the (a) 0800, (b) 0845 and (c) 0870 telephone numbers for the public administered by (i) his Department and (ii) agencies which report to him.
The Employment Tribunals Services administers a public enquiry line to answer queries about the Employment Tribunals, provide information about tribunal publications and explain how the tribunal system works. The enquiry line number is 0845 795 9775, and the minicom number is 0845 757 3722.
The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has asked me to reply to you directly on behalf of The Insolvency Service in respect of your question (2005/3597) asking what a.) 0800, b) 0845 and c) 0870 telephone numbers for the public The Service administers.
As at 6 March 2006 the answers were as follows:
a.) 0800:
The Service does not have any 0800 numbers.
b.) 0845:
The Service currently administers the following 0845 numbers:
1. Redundancy Payments Helpline - 0845 145 0004.
2. Enforcement hotline - 0845 601 3546.
3. Online form service enquiry line - 0845 602 9848.
In addition to the above numbers our website is also available via voice access on a 0845 number - 0845 333 0323.
c.) 0870:
The Service does not have any 0870 numbers.
The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has asked me to reply on behalf of the National Weights and Measures Laboratory (NWML) to your question regarding listing (a) 0800, (b) 0845 and (c) 0870 telephone numbers for the public administered by (i) his Department and (ii) agencies which report to him.
NWML does not administer any 0800, 0845 or 0870 numbers.
I am replying to your recently tabled Parliamentary Question 2005/3597, to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, on behalf of Companies House, which is an Executive Agency of the DTI.
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list the (a) 0800, (b) 0845 and (c) 0870 telephone numbers for the public administered by (i) his Department and (ii) agencies with report to him. 56543.
Answer
Companies House operate the following Non-Geographical Numbers (NGN’s)
CHD Helpdesk — 0845 7573991
Contact Centre — 0870 3333636
Secure Directors Register — 0845 03032400.
Officially, the SDR number and function is hosted by CH on behalf of the DTI and due to the security considerations involved is not for public consumption.
I am responding to this parliamentary question, tabled on 02 March 2006. The telephone numbers for the public administered by the Patent Office are as follows:
Telephone; 0845 9 500 505
Minicom (text phone); 0845 9 222 250
Tom Levitt: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on his Department’s progress in fulfilling its statutory obligation as a public body of promoting the rights of disabled people. [66010]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Disability Discrimination Act 2005 placed new duties on public authorities to promote equality for disabled people, ‘the Disability Equality Duty’.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the net outflow in interest payments to doorstep lenders in each local authority area in the UK. [86984]
Mr. McCartney: Information of this kind on individual credit agreements is not currently collected.
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will take steps to ensure that power producers reduce carbon dioxide emissions attributable to electricity transmission and distribution losses; and if he will make a statement. [87671]
Malcolm Wicks: Power producers are strongly incentivised to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from all aspects of electricity production through the European Emissions Trading Scheme, which incentivises all installations it covers to reduce emissions in response to a carbon price. It is up to each installation to determine what measures it may take to reduce its emissions, which may include those attributable to transmission and distribution losses.
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to paragraphs 5.104 and 5.105 of the Energy Review, Cm 6887, what the reasons were for the choice of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Nuclear Energy Agency study to illustrate the comparative carbon footprint ranking of nuclear generation against other power generation sources; and which other analyses were examined on the comparative carbon footprint of different generation sources in the Energy Review. [86095]
Malcolm Wicks [holding answer 19 July 2006]: The Energy Review considered various studies on lifetime carbon emissions, including:
Sustainable Development Commission—The Role of Nuclear in a Low Carbon Economy—Paper 2 Reducing CO2 Emissions—Nuclear and the Alternatives (2006)
Japan Central Research Institute (1996)
Sweden, Vattenfall (1999 and 2000)
Finland, A Kivisto
Germany, Institute for Applied Ecology (1997)
Storm van Leeuven and Smith (SLS) (2001 to 2005)
Torness—a study for BE by AEA Technology (2005)
EC ExternE (2003)
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment was made of the potential vulnerability of existing licensed nuclear sites to (a) coastal erosion and (b) inundation in the energy review. [86926]
Malcolm Wicks: Any new nuclear power stations would be proposed, developed, constructed and operated by the private sector. Industry has indicated that the most viable sites are likely to be adjacent to existing sites. Any developers will need to manage the possible risks of coastal erosion and flooding through active flood management plans, which must be approved by the safety regulator. Government committed in the energy review report to undertake a strategic siting assessment that would assist developers in identifying the most suitable sites for nuclear power stations.
Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps his Department has taken to increase enterprise in the West Suffolk constituency since 1997. [85501]
Margaret Hodge: Through the Government office for the East of England and the East of England development agency (BEDA) the Department has made considerable progress in increasing enterprise across the region.
A total of £400,000 of funding has been raised for West Suffolk companies since 1997.
There has also been Community investment of circa £2.3 million since 1997 which includes:
Sudbury Community Energy SRB project—£1,087,700
Working Together Suffolk Rural (County-wide)—£268,864
Foundation East (formally Suffolk Regeneration Trust)—£814,000
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps the Government is taking to encourage enterprise among people agedover 30. [85919]
Margaret Hodge: The Government are pursuing a range of programmes to encourage enterprise in the over 30s.
Providing the information, advice and support needed for entrepreneurs to start, maintain and grow a business through the Business Link service in England, and its counterparts in the Devolved Administrations.
Providing a targeted programme of support through the New Deal to suitable unemployed people, offering advice and training from a specialist provider.
Pump priming the Prince’s Initiative for Mature Enterprise (PRIME) with revenue and loan guarantee support through the DTI’s Phoenix Fund. This has supported entrepreneurial activity amongst over 50’s across the country.
Creating a Taskforce on Women’s Enterprise to accelerate the development of women’s enterprise. Regional Development Agencies are piloting Women's Enterprise Units to trial different approaches to supporting the start-up and growth of women-owned businesses.
Supporting a programme of activity led by the Ethnic Minority Business Forum to promote enterprise amongst ethnic minority groups. A three-year action plan was published in December 2005.
Running ‘Enterprising Britain’, an annual national competition to find the country’s most enterprising city, town, place or area, which showcases what is being done to support a stronger, more dynamic enterprise culture across the UK.
Increasing the resources available to RDAs, all of whom are tasked with encouraging enterprise, with targets for the number of new businesses created and surviving in their regions.
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people are employed in each of the (a) local and (b) sectoral enterprise campaigns established by Enterprise Insight; when the recruitment process for these will be completed; what costs have been incurred in recruiting people for these posts; and when each campaign will be fully operational. [85680]
Margaret Hodge: All the Local and Sectoral Enterprise Campaign Hubs are expected to be fully functional by the end of September 2006.
Expenditure incurred to date on the recruitment for the Local and Sectoral Hubs is £49,284.
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to his Answer of 17 July 2006, Official Report, column 135W, on Enterprise Insight, what targets have been set for Enterprise Week 2006; what funding was provided for Enterprise Insight in (a) 2005-06 and (b) 2004-05; and what funding has been allocated for (i) 2007-08 and (ii) 2008-09. [87375]
Margaret Hodge: Targets for Enterprise Insight in relation to Enterprise Week 2006 have been agreed as follows:
Number of events in Enterprise Week 2006—3,000;
Number of Enterprise Week 2006 participants—500,000;
Number of teams taking part in the 2006 ‘Make Your Mark’ Challenge—4,000;
Number of entries to the 2006 Enterprising Young Brits —2,000;
Editorial value of media coverage—£6.5million;
Number of TV partners on board—8.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what timetable has been set for the delivery of the EU Convergence Funding programme to Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly between 2007 and 2013. [87610]
Margaret Hodge: The EU Institutions are currently finalising a new package of legislation to govern future Structural Funds Programmes for the 2007-13 financial period. All of the new legislation is expected to come into force in the autumn.
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the cost was to his Department of implementing and administering EU directives, regulations and policies decided in 2005-06. [86751]
Mr. McCartney: The Department hold no records centrally relating to the origin of regulations and policies. The length of development, negotiation and implementation varies enormously from policy to policy and it would be hard to obtain a meaningful figure. Deriving such figures would incur a disproportionate cost. All proposals, which impact on business, charities or the voluntary sector, require a regulatory impact assessment (RIA) which includes details of the costs, benefits and risks of the proposal. Costs to Government including enforcement costs are included in the RIA. Copies of final RIAs are placed in the Libraries of the House.
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many full-time equivalent staff are employed in his Department to implement and administer EU directives, regulations and policies. [86753]
Mr. McCartney: The Department does not record the cost or the number of staff required for negotiating and implementing regulatory directives, regulations and policies emanating from Europe.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many representations his Department has received on the trading relationships through the food supply chain from primary producers to supermarkets in each of the last three years. [87517]
Mr.
McCartney: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State,
myself, our predecessors and DTI officials have received a significant
number of representations,
including from the Association of Convenience Stores, the British Retail
Consortium, supplier representatives, the Independent Retailers
Association, the National Consumer Council, individual members of the
public, interested MPs and the major
supermarkets.
Figures for the number of representations are not held centrally.
Mr. Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much on average domestic gas and electricity bills have increased in real terms between the first quarter of 2003 and the most recent quarter for which information is available. [87435]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The information is as follows:
Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment his Department has made of the fuel supply mix options for the power generation sector that would be available should a policy decision be taken not to enable new nuclear plants to be built. [82095]
Malcolm Wicks: In its Energy Review Report, published on 11 July, the Government concluded that, over the next few years, new investment in power generation is likely to be in renewables and gas-fired power stations. Longer term there are other low carbon forms of generation that can contribute to meeting our goals. In particular, the Government concluded that new nuclear power stations could make a significant contribution to meeting our energy policy goals. It will be for the power sector to initiate, fund, construct and operate new power generation and to meet all associated costs.
Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will reply to the letter of 18 April 2006 from the hon. Member for Billericay about sofas imported from eastern Europe. [70339]
Mr. Darling [holding answer 12 May 2006]: A response to this letter was sent on 24 May.
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much he expects will be distributed to companies under grant schemes administered by the Department in 2006-07. [86752]
Margaret Hodge: The Department of Trade and Industry expects to distribute £314 million to companies under the grant schemes for 2006-07.
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what work his Department sponsors into the development of local distributed networks for heat delivery. [87634]
Malcolm Wicks: The DTI co-chairs with Ofgem the Electricity Networks Strategy Group. This is a body made up of industry representatives who advise on how the networks can help deliver energy goals. Work programmes, largely funded by the DTI, research a variety of issues. Previous work has addressed barriers which prevented distributed generation connecting to the network. This has helped remove barriers to the development of combined heat and power.
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the change in the number of jobs in (a) ceramics, (b) glass, (c) paper and (d) other high energy using industries was in the last year for which figures are available. [86756]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Changes in the average yearly employment between 2003 and 2004 for the 15 highest energy using production industry groups (3-digit Standard Industrial Classification level, except for construction) in terms of consumption of tonnes of oil equivalents are shown in the table. Information is included for the ceramics production industry groups, which are not high energy using industries applying this definition.
| UK energy consumption | Average yearly employment, UK | ||||
| 2003 (Thousand) | 2003 (Thousand) | 2004 (Thousand) | Thousand | Percentage | |
Manufacture of pharmaceuticals, medicinal chemicals and botanical products | |||||
| (1)
Employment information provided for these industries is for the 2-digit
manufacture of coke, refined petroleum products and nuclear fuel, as
information at the 3-digit industry group level has been suppressed to
avoid
disclosure. Sources: 1. DTI UK energy industrial consumption tables. 2. ONS Annual Business Inquiry. | |||||
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on what date his most recent assessment of the Home Computer Initiative scheme was passed to the Treasury; and if he will place a copy in the Library. [64380]
Mr. Darling: [holding answer 19 April 2006]: I would like to apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in replying to the matter raised. In response to his query I can confirm that the DTI have regular discussions with the Treasury on budgetary initiatives. We do not publish details of these for reasons of confidentiality.
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the potential for development of low-head hydro power in (a) the United Kingdom and (b) Wales in the Energy Review. [87632]
Malcolm
Wicks: In 1987 the then Department of Energy commissioned
the University of Salford to
undertake a comprehensive assessment of the economic potential for
small-scale hydro-electric generation throughout the
UK.
John Penrose: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on what dates communication between his Department and Treasury Counsel took place on the subject of Appeal No. EA/2005/0023 to the Information Tribunal, broken down by type of communication. [72393]
Jim Fitzpatrick: I can neither confirm nor deny whether communication of any type took place between the Department and Treasury Counsel in relation to the Appeal No. EA/2005/0023 to the Information Tribunal. There is a public interest that decisions taken by government are taken in a fully informed legal context, to ensure good decision-making. Disclosure of whether the Department has sought legal advice has a significant potential to prejudice the government's ability to defend its legal interests.
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the value was of each IT contract awarded by his Department in each of the last five years; and who the contractor was in each case. [88977]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department has a main information technology contract which is a private finance initiative (PFI) agreement with Fujitsu Services and has been in place for more than five years. The Department has also recently awarded a competed services framework arrangement to six other suppliers and this will enable an element of additional competition for future IT projects. To-date no significant contracts have been awarded to these suppliers.
| £ million | |
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which IT contracts awarded by his Department in each of the last five years have been abandoned; and what the value was in each case. [88978]
Jim Fitzpatrick: During the last five years the Department has not abandoned any IT contracts awarded during that period. The Department has a main information technology contract which is a private finance initiative (PFI) agreement with Fujitsu Services and has been in place for more than five years. The Department has also recently awarded a competed services framework arrangement to six other suppliers but to-date no significant contracts have been awarded to these suppliers.
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the adequacy of investment in local distribution grids by the distribution network operators; and if he will make a statement. [86936]
Malcolm Wicks: Price controls for the period 2005-10, which set the operational and capital expenditure for the 14 electricity distribution networks, were agreed between the regulator (Ofgem) and the distribution network operators in January 2005. Ofgem has to allow the networks sufficient revenue to invest in their businesses to deliver licence conditions, which include having safe and reliable networks. At the same time, Ofgem seeks to keep costs down for consumers. The reliability of the distribution networks in Britain has improved, with power cuts relating to underlying performance (i.e. taking out major storms) down by16 per cent. since performance incentives were introduced in 2002.
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the total value is of household grants applied for since the start of the Low Carbon Buildings programme. [78486]
Malcolm Wicks: The total value of household grants applied for since the start of the Low Carbon Buildings programme is £1,670,730. This figure represents applications received some of which will not go forward. Actual grants offered up to 7 July 2006 is £527,763.
Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when his Department expects the next revision to the youth rate of the national minimum wage; what representations he has received on this matter; and what plans he has to make representations on this matter. [87126]
Jim Fitzpatrick: In line with the recommendationof the Low Pay Commission, on 1 October the development rate for 16-17 year olds will increase to £3.30 an hour.
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what trade-related (a) missions he plans to undertake and (b) meetings he plans to hold during the parliamentary recess. [86765]
Mr. McCartney: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry plans to visit Brazil in September, accompanied by a business delegation. During the recess he will continue to hold discussions on trade, investment and economic affairs, including with business, other non-governmental organisations, as well as European Union and non-European Union contacts, as necessary.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many times his ministerial office has been decorated in each of the last five years. [87643]
Jim Fitzpatrick: During this period the walls of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State’s office were repainted in 2005.
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on how many occasions (a) civil servants and (b) special advisors in his Department have stayed overnight in (i) five star, (ii) four star and (iii) three star hotels in each of the last three years. [69001]
Jim Fitzpatrick: This information is not readily available and can be obtained only at disproportionate costs.
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the total cost was of overnight accommodation for (a) civil servants and (b) special advisers in his Department staying overnight in (i) mainland Great Britain, (ii) Northern Ireland, (iii) the Republic of Ireland and (iv) other countries in each of the last three years. [69002]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Information on overnight accommodation broken down as requested is not available and could be made available only at disproportionate cost. The following table shows the total expenditure on hotel accommodation for both DTI officials and Ministers, split between the UK and overseas, in the last three years.
| Expenditure on overnight accommodation for DTI Ministers and officials | ||
| £ | ||
| Financial year | UK hotels | Hotel overseas |
John Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what account he takes of different levels of forecast emissions of carbon dioxide in determining planning applications for new power stations. [86129]
Malcolm Wicks: There are no set limits for emissions of carbon dioxide when considering power station applications. However the Environmental Impact Assessment which accompanies an application includes a statement on how the proposal contributes to meeting the Government’s target to reduce emissions of gases which contribute to global warming and acid rain. In addition, and before any consent is granted, we need confirmation from the Environment Agency that the impact of emissions would not be detrimental to the health of people and flora and fauna.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the Nuclear Waste Management Organisation plan to replace NIREX will be independent of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority; and if he will make a statement. [86363]
Ian Pearson: I have been asked to reply.
Mrs.
Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State
for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of
26 June 2006, Official Report, columns 75-76W, on nuclear power,
what nuclear decommissioning activity has been undertaken since 1 April
2005; and at what site the clean-up activity took place.
[85962]
Malcolm Wicks: Details of the decommissioning activity carried out since 1 April 2005 will be set out in the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority's (NDA) Annual Report and Accounts for 2005-06. The accounts are currently being finalised and audited. They will be published and laid in the House in due course after they have been signed off by the Comptroller and Auditor General. Full details of all the NDA's activities can be found on its website:
www.nda.gov.uk
Mr. Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what reports his Department has received which identify sites suitable for building nuclear power stations in addition to those presently in service. [86711]
Malcolm Wicks: The Department has received no such reports identifying new potential sites for nuclear power stations.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will bring forward legislation to amend the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971 to provide for an additional bank holiday on the last Monday in October each year; what recent representations he has received calling for an additional bank holiday; and if he will make a statement. [87109]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Government receive a variety of suggestions for new or different bank holidays. The present pattern of bank holidays is well established and accepted, and we have no current plans to change the arrangements.
Mr. Gauke: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what administrative functions for which his Department is responsible are outsourced overseas; and what assessment he has made of the merits of outsourcing further such functions overseas. [81557]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department has not outsourced any of its administrative functions overseas nor are there currently any plans in place to do so.
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what account he has taken of increased casework caused by high levels of personal debt in the allocation of funding for donations to the Citizens Advice Bureaux by his Department. [88130]
Mr. McCartney: The Citizens Advice Bureaux have been very successful in bidding for support under the £45 million Financial Inclusion Fund for debt advice. They have led 10 of the 16 selected advice-giving projects that have resulted in around £30 million of funds being granted to them. Their casework evidence was a crucial factor in deciding this allocation.
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what conditions were applied to the grant offer made to Peugeot in November for the manufacture of the 207 at Ryton; and what reasons were given to his Department for the refusal of the grant. [86206]
Margaret Hodge: The terms and conditions of the £14.4 million Regional Selective Assistance grant offered to Peugeot for the manufacture of the 207 model at Ryton are confidential between the Government and Peugeot. The company did not take up the offer as they decided not to proceed with the project.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what role (a) he and (b) ministers in his Department play in planning decisions for (i) new power plants and (ii) wind turbines. [86851]
Malcolm Wicks: Under the specialised regime of section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 onshore power stations, however fuelled, over 50 MW and offshore renewable power stations over 1 MW, in England and Wales fall to the Secretary of State to determine. Onshore power station proposals of 50 MW or less are dealt with under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 by local planning authorities and Ministers in this Department have no role to play in deciding those applications.
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people visited each of the post offices in Chorley constituency using the Post Office card account to withdraw (a) benefit and (b) pensions in the last 12 months. [87433]
Jim Fitzpatrick: I understand from Post Office Ltd. (POL) that the information is not available in the format requested. POL cannot provide a breakdown of which benefits customers are withdrawing cash for as they may have a range of benefits paid into a Post Office card account (POCA) and then withdraw cash from any Post Office branch via their POCA. Also, they do not capture information on which customers are making visits or their withdrawal pattern.
Mr. Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will publish a consultation paper on banding the Renewables Obligation, as announced in the Energy Review Report. [87614]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Government intend to publish the consultation document on the banding of the Renewables Obligation in the autumn this year.
Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the outcome has been of the project for Renewable Energy Systems at Beaufort Court; how much public money was involved in the project; and if he will make a statement. [75377]
Malcolm Wicks: Renewable Energy System’s development at Beaufort Court has not received any financing from UK Government but has, according to the website (http://www.beaufortcourt.com), received funding from the European Union through the EC framework 5 programme
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many complaints from customers were received by the Royal Mail (a) nationally and (b) in the York postal area (i) in 2005-06 and (ii) each of the previous four years; and whether it is the Government's policy that the Royal Mail should continue to publish information about complaints received in each post code area. [87050]
Jim Fitzpatrick: This is an operational matter for Royal Mail. Adam Crozier, the Chief Executive of Royal Mail has been asked to reply direct to the hon. Member.
Mr.
Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for
Trade and Industry what recent representations he has made
to his Russian counterpart regarding security of British investments in
Russia.
[85087]
Mr. McCartney: Senior officials have regular contact with the Russians on investment questions, including the importance of legal and administrative arrangements which secure and promote British investment in Russia. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has not yet had the opportunity personally to meet his Russian counterparts but investment issues will form part of the discussion when he does.
Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent meetings he has held with representatives of science centres to discuss their future role and funding. [87026]
Jim Fitzpatrick: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister for Higher Education and Lifelong Learning (Bill Rammell) on 20 July 2006, Official Report, columns 651-52W.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many small businesses operated in (a) Brent, East and (b) Brent in each year since 1997. [87423]
Margaret Hodge: Estimates of the total number of small businesses are only available at a regional level. However, figures for the number of VAT registered businesses are available at the local level. Latest data on the stock of VAT registered businesses at the end of each year since 1997 are shown in the following table for (a) Brent, East constituency and (b) the London borough of Brent.
| End year stock of VAT registered businesses, 1997-2004( 1) | ||||||||
| 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | |
| (1
)VAT registration and de-registration data are not available by
size of business. However, in Brent borough 98 per cent. of the total
stock of VAT registered businesses are small (0-49
employees). Sources: Business Start-ups and Closures: VAT Registrations and De-registrations 1994-2004, Small Business Service, available from the Library of the House and also at http://WWW.sbs.gov.uk/vats Office for National Statistics, UK Business: Activity, Size and Location—2005, available from http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=933 | ||||||||
Danny
Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for
Trade and Industry how many working days were lost to his Department
and its executive agencies in each
year since 1997 due to staff absenteeism, expressed as the average
annual number of absent days per employee; and what the estimated total
cost to the Department and its agencies of absenteeism was in each
year.
[78082]
Mr. Darling [holding answer 19 June 2006]: The average annual number of absent days per DTI (core DTI/HQ) employee in each year since 2000 is:
| Headcount | Full-time equivalent | |
| £ | |
The DTI does not hold the sick absence data for earlier than 2000.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions he has had with (a) the Competition Commission, (b) the Office of Fair Trading and (c) the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the supermarket code of practice. [87518]
Mr. McCartney: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and Ministers meet with the Office of Fair Trading (OFT), Competition Commission (CC) and colleagues at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on a regular basis to discuss topics of mutual interest.
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussion took place between his Department and the BBC about the decision not to renew the contract for renewal and purchase of television licences supplied at post offices. [87428]
Jim Fitzpatrick: None. The decision was a commercial one made by the BBC as the television licensing authority looking to the interests of licence fee payers and seeking to ensure the best deal for the public in this capacity.
Mr. Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many households have signed up to the Telephone Preference Service (TPS); and how many householders live in premises that are protected by TPS regulations by virtue of a previous occupant having registered with the service. [75598]
Margaret Hodge: The information is as follows:
Mr. Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many individuals have registered with the Telephone Preference Service on more than one occasion. [75600]
Margaret Hodge: The Direct Marketing Association runs the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) scheme on behalf of the Office of Communications and the Information Commissioner’s Office has responsibility for enforcement. The TPS estimates that currently 833,825 consumers have registered the same number on more than one occasion with them. It should be noted that duplicate numbers are not present on the TPS register as they are removed when the TPS carries out their checks to update their records.
Mr. Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many complaints have been made against the 10 companies breaching Telephone Preference Service regulations most frequently in the last 12 months. [75701]
Margaret
Hodge: The Direct Marketing Association runs the Telephone
Preference Service (TPS) scheme on behalf of the Office of
Communications and the Information Commissioner's Office has
responsibility for enforcement. The TPS records indicate that the total
number of complaints made against the top 10
companies for 2005 was 7,701. It should be noted that
this figure includes complaints where consumers may not have been
registered with the TPS or had not allowed the necessary 28 days to
elapse before their registration took
effect.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the operation of the Trade Descriptions (Place of Production) (Marking) Order 1988; how many (a) individuals and (b) companies have been prosecuted under this Order and the Trade Descriptions Act 1968 in each year since 1989; and what recent representations he has received on the operation of this Order. [82891]
Mr. McCartney: According to information obtained from the Office of Fair Trading (OFT), the number of prosecutions notified to them by Trading Standards Services under the Trade Descriptions Act 1968 in each year since 1989 are:
| Individuals | Companies | Total | |
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of UK trade was with (a) Romania and (b) Bulgaria in the latest period for which figures are available. [84722]
Mr. McCartney: The percentage of total UK trade with Romania in 2005 was 0.3 per cent. The percentage of total UK trade with Bulgaria in 2005 was 0.08 per cent.
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of how UK trade with (a) Romania and (b) Bulgaria will develop once those nations have joined the European Union. [84723]
Mr. McCartney: Assessments carried out by United Kingdom Trade and Investment conclude that a growing level of interest in Bulgaria and Romania from UK business in the lead up to EU membership will increase yet further on accession because of the opportunities it affords. Furthermore EU accession in itself is only one of the catalysts for increased opportunity. Growing economic prosperity, the development of a market economy and rising standards of living will contribute to this process as well and are already well under way in thee countries.
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many new businesses were registered for VAT in each region in each year since 2001; and if he will make a statement. [86949]
Margaret Hodge: The latest available information on VAT registrations by region is published in “VAT Registrations UK, Country, Government Office Region, County, District and Constituency 1994-2004”, a copy of which is available in the Libraries of the House.
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the UK Government’s position is on including services and trade facilitation in the Doha Round of World Trade Organisation negotiations. [81574]
Mr. McCartney: The UK remains strongly committed to ensuring an ambitious and pro-development outcome to the Doha Round that provides real benefits to developing countries and an overall stimulus to world trade in goods and services. The inclusion of services and trade facilitation in the Doha Ministerial Declaration that launched the Round in 2001 was welcomed by the UK Government. Both are important elements of the ambitious and balanced final agreement that is our objective for these negotiations, towards which we continue to work.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to re-organise the system of training initiatives for young people; and what the rationale was behind launching Great Expectations. [76015]
Margaret Hodge: There are no plans in England to reorganise training for young people. The successful apprenticeships programme remains the primary vocational route for young people into skilled jobs.
It is included by Careers Scotland in their portfolio of schemes on offer in Scotland.
Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information his Department holds on (a) publicly owned and (b) privately owned companies which are trading with Zimbabwe. [87231]
Mr. McCartney: Data is not available on which UK companies are trading with Zimbabwe. Information on the main exports and imports by product was provided in response to Parliamentary Question: 2005/5083.
Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations have been made to his Department regarding the actions of UK companies in Zimbabwe. [87232]
Mr. McCartney: As stated in my reply of 17 July 2006, Official Report, columns 148-150W there are no sanctions or embargoes against British companies doing business in Zimbabwe.
We do not maintain a separate record of representations made to this Department on Zimbabwe.
Roger Berry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many disabled staff in his Department received support through the Access to Work scheme (a) in each of the last five years and (b) in 2006-07. [82234]
John Healey: Applications for support through the Access to Work Scheme, made via the Treasury’s diversity team are in the following table:
| Applications to Access to Work Scheme | |
| (1
)Data not available (2) Records on applications to the Access to Work Scheme were kept from late 2003 onwards as the Treasury moved towards implementing a central reasonable adjustments budget (April 2004) and a more streamlined process for putting in place reasonable adjustments for its employees. | |
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Chancellor ofthe Exchequer what advertising campaigns the Department ran between 2000 and June 2004; and what the (a) date and (b) cost was of each. [87053]
John Healey: I refer to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Mr. Burstow) and the hon. Member for Monmouth (David T.C. Davies) on6 July 2005, Official Report, column 433W.
Lynne Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the consistency with which different strengths of alcohol are taxed. [87550]
John Healey: There are historic disparities in the rate at which different alcohol products are taxed. Since 1998, Government policy has been to seek a fairer balance of taxation between different alcohol products.
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer who the members of the group examining the provision of information and support on energy efficiency to business chaired by the Financial Secretary and Mr. Richard Ellis are; and when it has met. [87453]
John Healey: Budget 2006 announced that the Financial Secretary and Richard Ellis would co-chair a group to examine how best to provide information and support to business on energy efficiency. This group met recently. The organisations represented at this meeting were: the Carbon Trust, the CBI, the EEF, the British Chambers of Commerce and the Federation of Small Businesses.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what meetings (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have held with directors and senior executives of (i) Capita Group plc and (ii) its subsidiaries since 1 January 2004; and whether (A) Capita Group plc and (B) its subsidiaries have provided input (1) in writing and (2) in person to policy discussions in his Department since 1 January 2004. [61062]
John Healey: As part of the normal process of contact with business, Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide range of individuals and organisations. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government’s usual practice to provide details of all such meetings. Treasury meetings are conducted in accordance with the Ministerial Code and the Civil Service Code, as appropriate.
James
Brokenshire: To ask the Chancellor of the
Exchequer (1) what the value of contracts held by his
Department with (a) Capita plc and (b) its subsidiaries
was in the last three financial years;
[61459]
John Healey: Any consultant engaged by a Department needs to pass through a rigorous and transparent procurement process in line with EU procurement directives.
There are no staff seconded by Capita or its subsidiaries to the Treasury or its agencies.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what proportion of people live in caravan parks in each local authority area in England and Wales in descending order according to percentage of the population resident in such parks. [88287]
John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 24 July 2006:
I am replying as National Statistician and Registrar General for England and Wales to your recent question asking the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many and what proportion of people live in caravan parks in each local authority area in England and Wales in descending order according to percentage of the population resident in that way. (88287)
The nearest information available from the 2001 census is accommodation type which includes a category for “caravans or other mobile or temporary structures”. This includes caravans that are not in parks and other mobile structures such as boats. The data was published in table S050 in the “Census 2001 National report for England and Wales pt 1” which is available in the House of Commons library. However for convenience the relevant columns have been extracted and placed separately in the House of Commons library.
Mr. Swire: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have held meetings in the last 12 months with casino operators interested in securing licences under the Gambling Act 2005; where each meeting took place; and what was discussed. [83364]
John Healey: Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide range of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy analysis, development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government’s practice to provide details of all such meetings.
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what data are collected by the Government related to (a) the acquisition of companies financed by the (i) exchange and (ii) issue of shares and (b) the financial performance of such companies, with particular reference to patterns of investment by them. [87131]
Ed Balls: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what data is collected by the Government related to (a) the acquisition of companies financed by the (i) exchange and (ii) issue of shares and (b) the financial performance of such companies, with particular reference to patterns of investment by them. (87131) The data requested are not available. However, ONS publish data on acquisitions in the UK by UK companies that are funded by share issues and exchanges. Table 9 of the ONS Mergers and Acquisitions First Release provides a breakdown of this information. Information is not collected on whether the shares involved are existing shares or new issues of shares.
This can be found using the following weblink:
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=72&Pos=1&ColRank=1&Rank=208
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he plans to collect centrally information on consultancy firms hired by Government Departments. [88201]
John Healey: OGC does not hold central information on public sector spend on consultancy and currently there are no plans to start to do so.
Joan Walley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will ask the Gowers Intellectual Property review team to include within its terms of reference copyright issues affecting the sports sector; [84261]
John Healey: Mr. Andrew Gowers has been asked to conduct an independent review into the intellectual property system, to ensure it is fit for the digital age. The published terms of reference for the review are as follows:
The review will provide an analysis of the performance of the UK IP system, including inter alia,
the way in which Government administers the awarding of IP and their support to consumers and business;
how well businesses are able to negotiate the complexity and expense of the copyright and patent system, including copyright and patent licensing arrangements, litigation and enforcement; and
whether the current technical and legal IP infringement framework reflects the digital environment, and whether provisions for ‘fair use’ by citizens are reasonable.
Anne Main: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what advice he has given the Home Secretary on managing complex computer databases. [82812]
Mr. Timms: The Office of Government Commerce, through its Gateway Review process, advises all Departments on acquisition and procurement projects.
Mr. Harper: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what public spending on defence was in each year since 1997 in (a) cash terms, (b) at 2006 prices and (c) as a percentage of gross domestic product. [86990]
Mr. Timms: Final outturn figures for defence spending in financial years 1997-98 to 2004-05, expressed in terms of 2004-05 prices, and as a percentage of GDP, can be found in Public Expenditure Statistical Analysis 2006, tables 3.2 and 3.4 respectively. GDP deflators to adjust this data to 2005-06 prices are available on the Treasury website at:
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/255/F4/gapdeflators_300606.xls
Mr. Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was spent on hotels (a) in the UK and (b) abroad by his Department’s employees in the last 12 months. [83498]
John Healey: I refer to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Upper Bann (David Simpson) on 24 May 2006, Official Report, column 1850W.
Mr. Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was spent on heating his Department’s buildings in London in each year since 1997. [83505]
John Healey: The Treasury’s heating is provided by the Whitehall District Heating System operated by OGCbuying solutions. The Whitehall District Heating System also supplies the Treasury’s hot water except in the summer months. The total cost of the Treasury’s use of the system since 2002-03 is set out in the following table. Figures for years prior to 2002-03 could be provided only at disproportionate cost due to a change in accounting system in that year.
| £000 | |
Mr. Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department spent on artwork in each year since 1997. [83507]
John Healey: There was no spending by the Treasury on works of art in 2005-06. In relation to previous years, I refer to the answers given to the hon. Member for Lewes (Norman Baker) on 8 December 2003, Official Report, column 333W, and to the hon. Member for Monmouth (David T.C. Davies) on 1 November 2005, Official Report, column 984W.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent estimate he has made of the total amount spent in a year on lighting his Department’s buildings in London. [83587]
Mr. Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department spent on electricity use in each year since 2003-04. [83776]
John Healey: I refer to the answer given to the hon. Member for Twickenham (Dr. Cable) on 10 October 2005, Official Report, column 332W. Spending by the Treasury on electricity in 2005-06 was £431,000.
Disaggregated figures for lighting, separate from other electricity use, are not available.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much (a) his Department and (b) agencies of his Department spent on water and sewage services in each year since 2003-04. [83664]
John Healey: I refer to the answer given to the hon. Member for Twickenham (Dr. Cable) on 10 October 2005, Official Report, column 332W. Spending by the Treasury and its agencies in 2005-06 was as follows.
| 2005-06 | Spending (£) |
| (1)
Information not yet available. (2) DMO costs are
included in the service charge and disaggregated data for water and
sewerage services is unavailable. (3) NS&I occupy
a MOTO agreement with HMRC. Costs are included in the facilities charge
and disaggregated data for water and sewerage services is
unavailable. | |
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidance he has issued to employees in his Department on (a) saving water, (b) conserving heat and (c) reducing electricity consumption. [83573]
John Healey: Treasury employees are encouraged to reduce utility consumption and wastage of resources routinely. The department works closely with contractors and staff to improve the efficient use of the building and workplace.
David Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 28 June 2006, Official Report, column 414W, on sickness absence, to what he attributes the rise in the number of staff with (a) two, (b) three, (c) four and (d) five or more periods of sickness absence of less than five days in each of the last three years. [84075]
John Healey: Staff absenteeism recorded as sickness absence in each year since 1997 is contained in Cabinet Office publication of an annual report “Analysis of Sickness Absence in the Civil Service”. This report gives a detailed analysis of the civil service data, including patterns, frequency and reasons for absence.
This is available in the Library and on the civil service website at:
http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/management/occupational_health/publications/index.asp.
Mr. Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) sprinklers and (b) irrigation systems are used by (i) his Department and (ii) other departments for which he is responsible in London. [83499]
John Healey: There are no sprinklers and one irrigation system in the Treasury building at 1 Horse Guards Road. Information on other London based Departments is not held centrally and could be produced only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he plans to take over the next month to encourage revival of the Doha round of trade talks. [86766]
John Healey: As the Chancellor set out in his Mansion House speech on 21 June, the most powerful pro-globalisation signal we can send is to make possible the increase in world trade that an ambitious WTO settlement would bring.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many dual flush toilets there are in his Department. [83578]
John Healey: All of the 144 toilets in the Treasury building at 1 Horse Guards Road have a dual flush facility.
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which of the proposals tabled by the UK presidency at the December ECOFIN meeting regarding the next steps towards better European regulation have been implemented by (a) the UK and (b) other member states. [88098]
Ed Balls: At the December 2005 ECOFIN, the UK, Austria and Finland issued a joint-presidency discussion paper setting out areas for future work by the Commission working together with member states to improve the regulatory framework in Europe. Since December progress has been made in a number of areas. The Commission has been piloting administrative burden measurement and plans to identify priority areas for action and options for setting targets to reduce administrative costs by the end of the year, enabling concrete proposals to be made next year. The Commission is also reviewing its Impact Assessment procedures and its processes for consulting with stakeholders and is due to report on progress on its simplification plan in the autumn.
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the reference to the high-level group in paragraph 3.103 of HC 968, the Economic and Fiscal Strategy Report and Financial Statement and Budget Report, March 2006, who the members of the group are; on what dates it has met; when it will announce a strategy; and if he will place in the Library the minutes of its meetings. [87532]
Ed Balls: The Treasury will announce publicly the composition of the high-level group when it meets for the first time in the autumn, following a series of meetings at official level which have been under way since the spring. The Treasury will make an announcement on the strategy before the end of the year.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether (a) his Department and (b) the Financial Services Authority has assessed the merits of setting up a stand-alone financial consumer education initiative. [87386]
Ed Balls: The Financial Services Authority (FSA), in partnership with the Government, the financial services industry and voluntary organisations, leads the national strategy for financial capability.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has for changes in spending on financial consumer education in connection with his target to educate all children in financial matters. [87387]
Ed
Balls: The Financial Services Authority (FSA), in
partnership with the Government, the financial services industry and
voluntary organisations leads the national strategy for financial
capability. One of the strands of the national
strategy—“Learning Money Matters”—will
provide schools with a comprehensive one-stop shop for help, support
and advice to help them deliver effective personal finance education to
their pupils. Learning Money Matters will be delivered by pfeg (the
Personal Finance Education Group), an independent charity that works
with schools to
promote personal finance education for young people.
The target is to reach 1.8 million children in 4,000 schools by 2010-11
to improve their financial knowledge, understanding and
confidence.
Mr. Walker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress the Financial Services Authority has made in enforcing testable business continuity planning among its members; and if he will make a statement. [87906]
Ed Balls: The UK financial authorities (HM Treasury, Bank of England and FSA) work together closely to ensure that the financial sector is prepared for and able to respond to disruptive events. The FSA has responsibility for ensuring that the firms it regulates have business continuity plans in place, and provides the lead for the authorities in the areas of benchmarking and testing.
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his oral answer to the hon. Members for Bosworth and Livingston of 13 July 2006, Official Report, column 1470, on the Fundamental Savings review, whether trading enterprises owned by the public sector will be sold off in the planned sale of assets. [86755]
Mr. Timms: The 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) will take forward the Government’s objective of realising £30 billion of asset disposals by 2010, and will examine options for disposing of other public assets, including public corporations and trading funds.
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the change has been in staff numbers in Departments subject to Gershon review reduction. [86754]
Mr. Timms: As announced in “Releasing Resources to meet the challenges ahead: value for money in the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review”, by the end of March 2006 departments had delivered more than half of the 84,000 workforce reductions planned by 2007-08 with 45,547 gross reductions.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment (a) his Department and (b) the Bank of England has made of the potential effect of home information packs on the economy. [86827]
John Healey: The Department for Communities and Local Government recently published an assessment of the impact of Home Information Packs in a regulatory impact assessment accompanying regulations made under Part 5 of the Housing Act 2004. This assessment will be updated in the light of the findings of a baseline study of the home buying and selling process reporting later this year, information obtained during the dry-run of Home Information Packs, other research commissioned by the Department for Communities and Local Government, and in consultation with HM Treasury and Bank of England.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what percentage of families with three or more children in which neither parent works lived in each county in (a) Wales, (b) Scotland, (c) England and (d) Northern Ireland in the most recent year for which figures are available. [87733]
John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about how many and what percentage of families with three or more children in which neither parent works for each county in (a) Wales, (b) Scotland, (c) England and (d) Northern Ireland in the most recent year.
The table overleaf gives the estimates of the number and the percentage of families with three or more children for the three months ending June 2005. It shows people resident in the counties and unitary authorities in the UK.
Estimates are taken from the Office for National Statistics’ Labour Force Survey (LFS). As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
| Families with three or more dependent children in which neither parent works by area of usual residence Not seasonally adjusted | ||
| Families with three or more children | ||
| Three months ending June 2005 | In which neither parent works (000) | As percentage of all such families |
| (1)
Includes estimates for counties not listed for which sample sizes are
too small to provide reliable
estimates. (2 )Small sizes for all individual counties in Wales and Scotland are too small to provide estimates. Source: ONS Labour Force Survey | ||
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which countries have committed to joining the international finance facility; and if he will make a statement. [88093]
Ed Balls: The international finance facility for immunisation was launched on 9 September 2005 by the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI), with announcements of financial contributions from the UK, France, Italy, Spain and Sweden. Norway, Brazil and South Africa have also agreed to contribute financially, their contributions were announced in December 2005, March 2006 and April 2006 respectively.
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the first bond issue will be made under the international finance facility for immunisation; and if he will make a statement. [88094]
Ed Balls: The international finance facility for immunisation (IFFIm) was launched in September 2005 with contributions from France, Italy, Spain and Sweden, as well as the UK. Norway, Brazil and South Africa have since pledged contributions. The first IFFIm bonds will be issued in the next few months, and we expect that the IFFIm will begin purchasing vaccines and delivering these to the poorest countries through the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI) before the end of the year.
Mr. Kemp: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of inward investment in (a) Houghton and Washington East constituency and (b) Sunderland city council area in each year since 1997. [87363]
Mr. Timms: The Office for National Statistics has reported levels of private sector investment in NUTS 1 regions and NUTS 2 sub-regions between 1998 and 2000 in table 17 of Economic Trends, December 2003 and can be viewed at:
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/articles/economic_trends/ETDecCope.pdf
More recent information on private sector investment at the regional level only can be accessed at:
http://www.dtistats.net/sd/rci/
Public sector investment can be viewed in Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the life expectancy is in each London borough, broken down by (a) sex and (b) ethnicity. [87508]
John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what the life expectancy is in each London borough broken down by (a) sex and (b) age. (87508)
Figures on life expectancy at birth for local authorities, including London boroughs, are published annually by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) for males and females, based on three-year rolling averages. Results from 1991-93 to 2002-04 are available on the National Statistics website at: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=8841
ONS does not publish life expectancy results for other ages. Figures for life expectancy at age 65 for local authorities have however previously been calculated for the most recent time period available, 2002-04. Figures for London boroughs are provided in the following table.
| Life expectancy at age 65 by London borough( 1) , 2002-04( 2) | ||
| Life expectancy at age 65 (years) | ||
| London borough | Males | Females |
| (1
)City of London has been excluded because of small numbers of
deaths and populations in this area. (2 )Results are based on deaths registered in 2002-04 and mid-year population estimates for these years. | ||
Mr. David Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has met (a) Sir Christopher Evans and (b) representatives of Merlin Biosciences Limited on official business in the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement. [61480]
John Healey: As part of the normal process of contact with business, Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide range of individuals and organisations. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government’s usual practice to provide details of all such meetings. Treasury meetings are conducted in accordance with the Ministerial Code and the Civil Service Code, as appropriate.
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what trade related (a) missions he plans to undertake and (b) meetings he plans to hold during the parliamentary recess. [86763]
John Healey: Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings and discussions with a wide range of organisations and individuals throughout the year as part of the process of policy development, analysisand delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government’s practice to provide details of every such meeting.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many times his ministerial office has been decorated in each of the last five years. [87638]
John Healey: The Chancellor’s office was decorated once during this period as part of the refurbishment of 1 Horse Guards road.
Mr. Soames: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which countries he has visited in Africa since 1997; and what the (a) dates, (b) objectives and (c) outcomes were of each visit. [87411]
John Healey: Since 1999, the Government have published on an annual basis a list of all overseas visits by Cabinet Ministers costing in excess of £500. Copies of the lists are available in the Library of the House. Information for 2005-06 is currently being compiled and will be published shortly. All ministerial travel by Treasury Ministers is undertaken in accordance with the “Ministerial Code and Travel” by Ministers.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when and for how long he has visited (a) each member state of the European Union, (b) Japan, (c) India, (d) Brazil, (e) Canada, (f) New Zealand, (g) Australia, (h) South Korea, (i) Russia, (j) Singapore, (k) Thailand and (l) Mexico since 1997. [87738]
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 10 July 2006, Official Report, column 1643W, on his official visit (Nigeria), what the normal procedures are; and on what date they were completed. [87893]
John Healey: Appropriate parties were notified prior to the visit. In addition the visit itself was widely publicised before it happened.
Mr. Harper: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer further to Releasing the resources to meet the challenge ahead, Cm 6889, what reduction in the administration budget he will require of the Ministry of Defence. [86916]
Mr. Timms: While the Government are committedto controlling the overheads of all Government Departments, “Releasing the resources to meet the challenge ahead” cm 6889 does not set targetsfor individual Government Departments. The Government have affirmed their commitment to bear down on administration costs over the CSR period.
David Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many MRSA-related deaths there have been in (a) the UK and (b) each region in each of the last five years. [88152]
John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunell, dated 24 July 2006:
As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many MRSA-related deaths there have been in (a) the UK and (b) each region in each of the last five years.
Figures on deaths involving MRS A are not available for the whole of the UK on a consistent basis. Figures for England and Wales are published annually in Health Statistics Quarterly - the most recent figures are for 2004 and were published in Health Statistics Quarterly 29 in February 2006. Figures for Northern Ireland are published annually - figures for the last five years were given in Hansard Written Answer 83964, Column 1774W.
Figures on deaths mentioning MRSA for Government Office Regions of England, and Wales, are given in the attached table for the years 2000 to 2004.
| Number of deaths where MRSA was a contributory factor( 1) , Government office regions of England, and Wales( 2) , 2000-2004( 3) | |||||
| Government office region | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 |
| (1)
Identified using the methodology described in Griffiths C, Lamagni TL,
Crowcroft NS, Duckworth G and Rooney C (2004) Trends in MRSA in England
and Wales: analysis of morbidity and mortality data for 1993-2002.
Health Statistics Quarterly 21, 15-22. (2) Usual
residence of the deceased. (3) Figures are for deaths
occurring in the years 2000 to 2004. (4 )Includes
non-residents. | |||||
James Brokenshire: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will answer named day questions 61459, 61460 and 61461, concerning contracts and tenders with Capita plc., due for answer on 23 March. [83213]
John Healey [holding answer 10 July 2006]: I have done so. I apologise on behalf of the Treasury that the answer to the hon. Member’s questions was delayed.
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what net taxes and national insurance contributions were, excluding North Sea revenues as defined in footnote three to table C9 of the 2006 Budget report, HC 968, in each year since 1976-77; and what these figures represent as a percentage of gross domestic product in each year. [87533]
Mr. Timms: Data on net taxes and national insurance contributions and North Sea revenues as a percentage of GDP back to 1973-74 can be found in table C1 of the Public Finances Databank (availableon the web at: http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/economic_data_and_tools/finance_spending_statistics/pubsec_finance/psf_statistics.cfm).
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people have been employed in the Office of Government Commerce efficiency team in each of the last five years. [87456]
John Healey: The OGC Efficiency Team was set up in 2004-05 to implement the findings of Sir Peter Gershon’s Report “Releasing Resources to the Front Line”.
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he has met the Prime Minister to discuss reports received from the Office of Government Commerce efficiency team in the last 12 months. [87457]
John Healey: The Chancellor is in regular and frequent contact with the Prime Minister on a wide range of issues. As has been the practice of successive Administrations, it is not the practice of the Government to provide detailed information relating to discussions between Ministers.
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the level of (a) legal and (b) illegal imports of products manufactured from oxycodone hydrochloride from the Republic of Ireland. [80575]
Mr. Coaker: I have been asked to reply.
Legal imports from the republic of Ireland are shown in total figures in the following table:
| Oxycodone hydrochloride (kilogram) | |
No assessment of illegal importation has been made.
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what projections in respect of unfunded public sector pension schemes in the 2005 Long Term Public Finance Report would be if allowance were made for (a) the future impact on NHS payscales of the implementation of Agenda For Change and (b) the agreement of new contracts for general practitioners and hospital consultants. [87530]
Mr. Timms: Existing GAD analysis in the technical note “Unfunded Public Service Pension Schemes: 2005 Cash flow Projections: Assumptions and Data” placed in the House of Commons library on 12 June 2006 takes into account the ‘one off’ effect of Agenda for Change. The future impact on NHS payscales or the agreement of new contracts for GPs and Hospital Consultants were not considered. These will be factored in GAD analysis as evidence of their effect comes through in future. Providing detailed updated projections would incur disproportionate costs, although “Total Liability of unfunded Public Service occupational Pension Schemes” placed in the House of Commons Library on 2 March 2006 estimated that the impact during 2004-05 of Agenda for Change and new GP contracts increased the liability of the unfunded schemes by £46 billion.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the (a) average amount of personal debt per person and (b) total amount of personal debt was in (i) Brent and (ii) London in the last period for which figures are available. [87781]
John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the national statistician, who has been asked to reply.
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question on personal debt in the UK. (87781)
We are unable to provide levels of total personal debt by region. The following table shows estimates for the whole ofthe UK.
| End-year | ||
| Total personal debt (£ million) | Average personal total debt (£) | |
| Note: For
average per head figures, the denominator is population aged
16+. | ||
The estimates of debt and income are national accounts series for the combined household and non-profit institutions serving households (NPISH) sectors. Estimates for households alone are not available. NPISHs are legal entities which are principally engaged in the production of non-market services for households and whose main resources are voluntary contributions by households. Examples of NPISHs are: charities; relief and aid organisations; educational establishments; Trade Unions; Professional Associations, Political Parties and Religious Organisations, and Sports Clubs and Associations.
Further data are available from table A64 in United Kingdom Economic Accounts which is available at the following address: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=1904&Pos=&ColRank=l&Rank=422
John Thurso: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what tax subsidies are available for the use of methyl tertiary butyl ether and other oxygenates instead of high aromatic blend stocks as an additive to petrol. [86860]
John Healey: Methyl tertiary butyl ether is liable to duty at the same rate as ultra-low sulphur petrol (currently 47.1 pence per litre).
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what representations his Department has made on planning policy to the Department of Communities and Local Government or the then Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in the last 12 months; [86838]
(2) how many civil servants in his Department work on planning policy; [86839]
John Healey: The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) leads on planning policy. Treasury officials work closely, on an ongoing basis, with the DCLG on land-use planning policy and planning policy guidance issues.
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many PSA targets set in SR2002 (a) have and (b) have not been achieved. [87458]
Mr. Timms: Departments report on progress against their PSA targets twice yearly in their Departmental and Autumn Performance Reports. It is not possible to provide a full tally due to lags in departmental data and the fact that some targets are still ongoing, with an end date in the future. However, when departments provided summary assessments for a majority of SR2002 targets in their latest Autumn Performance Reports over 80 per cent. of those targets were reported to be met or on course.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which public affairs and public relations companies (a) his Department and (b) agencies of his Department have used since 1997. [83784]
John Healey: The Treasury and its agencies have reviewed their supplier and expenditure records for the past four financial years and found no suppliers which they know to be public affairs or public relations companies.
Mr. Djanogly: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the reasons for the delays and backlog resulting from the purchase and installation of the Registration on-line computer system at register offices in England and Wales. [87860]
John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
The Registrar General has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what assessment he has made of the reasons for the delays and backlog resulting from the purchase and installation of the Registration On-line computer system at register offices in England and Wales. I am replying in her absence. (87860)
Civil partnership legislation took effect in England and Wales on 5 December 2005 and was available to those wishing to make use of it from that date, without delays. To avoid any risk of delay or inconvenience, Civil Partnerships were initially recorded on a manual system with the Registration On-line (RON) computer system coming into use on 6 March 2006. An exercise to capture details of the manual notices and registrations for ceremonies prior to 6 March, and put them on the RON database, is nearing completion.
Use of RON for registration of births, still births, and deaths is expected to commence later this year, with marriages following in 2007. This will take account of the experience of using RON to date, and will progressively replace existing systems in Register Offices across England and Wales.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how much Sir David Varney is being paid to act as a senior adviser on Transformational Government; and who is meeting the cost; [88214]
John Healey: The Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in the 2006 Budget the appointment ofSir David Varney to advise him on opportunities for transforming the delivery of public services. Details of Sir David's work are set out in “Releasing the Resources to Meet the Challenges Ahead: Value for Money in the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review” (Cm 6889). He will report to the Chancellor on his findings in time to inform the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review.
Mr. Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how much was spent on the creation of British small business investment companies in each year since 2003; and if he will make a statement; [84806]
Margaret Hodge: I have been asked to reply.
Mr. Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 20 June 2006, Official Report, column 1857W, on Small Change Big Difference, what therapies are available to employees of his Department; how many people have made use of them; whether the therapies provided are subsidised by his Department; and what the total cost is to his Department of providing these therapies. [83493]
John Healey: All services are purchased privately by staff. No services are subsidised and there is no cost to the Department in providing them.
Mrs. Dorries: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) individual and (b) late payments of working tax credits were made in each week in March and April 2006, up to the last period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [64468]
Dawn Primarolo: Individual payments made for each week in March and April are shown in the following table:
| Number | |
There is no record of payments being made late during those weeks.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the tax credits e-portal was re-opened. [76419]
Dawn Primarolo: The tax credit e-portal has not yet been re-opened. DWP access to the e-portal was reinstated on 24 April 2006 and the “Do I qualify” element was restored on 31 May 2006.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many fraudulent tax credit claims have been made over the telephone since April 2004; and if he will make a statement. [76488]
Dawn Primarolo: A claim for tax credits cannot be made over the telephone.
Lynne Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average payment in family credit, working families tax credit and their successors was in each applicable year at current prices; and what the (a) total expenditure and (b) expenditure net of tax receipts was in each year. [80066]
Dawn Primarolo: The following table shows the total expenditure and average finalised award for family credit, working families tax credit and their successors since 1991-92.
| Expenditure in nominal terms (£ billion) | Average award at current prices (£ per family per week) | |
| (1)
Excluding disability working allowance. This was phased out between
October 1999 and March 2000. (2 )Excluding disabled
person’s tax credit. This was phased in between October 1999 and
March 2000 and ceased in early April 2003. (3
)Working families tax credits ended 7 April 2003, therefore only
small amount of expenditure
recorded. | ||
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-quarterly-stats.htm
Net expenditure of working families tax credits between 1999 and 2003 are as follows:
| £ billion | |
Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what estimate has been made of the number of multiple separate cases of tax credit claims from the same address; how much fraud has been uncovered; and if he will make a statement; [78406]
Dawn Primarolo: HMRC have measures in place to tackle such indication of possible fraud. However, it would be inappropriate to disclose detailed information relating to HMRC action to reduce tax credits fraud as to do so could provide assistance to those engaged in criminal activity.
Anne Main: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his assessment is of the ability of the tax credits computer system to recalculate tax credits payments to surviving spouses and families; and if he will make a statement. [81526]
Dawn Primarolo: The tax credit computer does not recalculate tax credits payments in these circumstances. A new claim is made by the surviving partner.
Anne Main: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff have been employed (a) full-time and (b) part-time in administering the tax credit system in each year since its inception; and how many hours overtime were paid in each of those years. [81527]
Dawn Primarolo: For the approximate number of staff deployed to tax credits work in 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06, I refer the hon. Member to the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General published on11 July 2006 which is available at http://www.nao.org.uk/home.htm Given that HMRC constantly monitor and balance the needs of their various work areas and deploy their resources accordingly, figures about the number of staff in HMRC who are working on tax credits at any one time can vary.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether there have been (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful organised frauds of the tax credit system since 1 December 2005; and if he will make a statement. [81754]
Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to the HMRC publication “Tackling error and fraud in the Child and Working Tax Credits” available on the HMRC website at www.hmrc.gov.uk/news/index.htm and to HM Revenue and Customs 2005-06 Accounts: the Comptroller and Auditor General’s Standard Report, Part 2, available at http://www.nao.org.uk/pn/05-06/05061159.htm
Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people received tax credits while unemployed in each year since 2001-02; and if he will make a statement. [83904]
Dawn
Primarolo: Working families tax credit awards, which were
payable in 2001-02 and 2002-03, were not available to families who were
out of work at the start of the award. Children’s tax credit
benefited only taxpayers and therefore were also only available for
in-work families. No information is available on the number of families
who received working families tax
credit or children’s tax credits that included an adult who was
out of work for all or part of the year.
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-quarterly-stats.htm
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions took place between his Department and the BBC about the decision not to renew the contract for renewal and purchase of television licences supplied at post offices. [87430]
John Healey: The Treasury has had no discussions with the BBC in relation to the BBC's procurement exercise for its “over-the-counter” TV licensing business.
Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of workers in each (a) industry sector and (b) occupational group were temporary in (i) 1997, (ii) 2001 and (iii) 2005; and what each sector’s and group’s share was of the total number of temporary workers in each year. [86546]
John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about the percentage of temporary workers in employment in (a) industry sectors and (b) occupational groups for the years 1997, 2001 and 2005; and what each sector’s and group’s share was of the total number of temporary workers in each of those years. (86546)
The two tables attached show the available information covering the 12 month periods ending February 1999 and 2001, and December 2005. No comparable information is available for 1997.
These estimates, as with any from sample surveys, are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
| Table 1: Temporary employees as a percentage of all employees by occupation and industry, 1999, 2001 and 2005—United Kingdom | ||
| Twelve months ending: | February 1999 | |
| Number (Thousand) | As percentage of total employees in industry | |
| Twelve months ending: | February 2001 | |
| All employees( 1) | Number (Thousand) | As percentage of total employees in industry |
| Twelve months ending: | December 2005 | |
| Number (Thousand) | As percentage of total employees in occupation/industry | |
| (1)
Total includes those who did not state their occupation, whereas
occupation group percentages exclude them. (2 )Data
not available. (3 )Total includes those whose workplace is outside the UK, or who did not state their industry, whereas industry group percentages exclude them. Source: ONS: Labour Force Survey Annual datasets | ||
| Table 2: Temporary employees by occupation and industry 1999, 2001 and 2005—United Kingdom | ||
| February 1999 | ||
| Twelve months ending: | Number (Thousand) | As percentage of all temporary employees |
| February 2002 | ||
| Twelve months ending: | Number (Thousand) | As percentage of all temporary employees |
| December 2005 | ||
| Twelve months ending: | Number (Thousand) | As percentage of all temporary employees |
| (1)
Total includes those who did not state their occupation, whereas
occupation group percentages exclude them. (2 )Data
not available. (3 )Total includes those whose workplace is outside the UK, or who did not state their industry, whereas industry group percentages exclude them. Source: ONS: Labour | ||
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps his Department has taken to prevent the financing of terrorism since February 2006; and if he will make a statement. [88095]
Ed Balls: HM Treasury has continued to work closely with other policy departments, law enforcement agencies and international partners in order to better deter, detect and disrupt terrorism and the financing of terrorism.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people were (a) unemployed and (b) long-term unemployed in (i) Brent, East and (ii) Brent in each year since 1997. [87422]
John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 24 July 2006:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about unemployment.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles statistics of unemployment for local areas from the annual local area Labour Force Survey and the Annual Population Survey (APS) following International Labour Organisation definitions. The number of unemployed, resident in the Brent East Parliamentary Constituency was provided in Table 1 of an Answer on 11th July 2006 (Hansard column 1726W, reference 79828) up to the 12 months ending December 2004. The number of long-term unemployed was given in Table 3 of the same Answer. Table 1 attached shows more recent information from the APS. Table 2, attached, shows corresponding data for people resident in the London borough of Brent.
These estimates, as with any from sample surveys, are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
ONS also compiles statistics for local areas of people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA). Data for all claimants resident in the Brent East constituency was provided in Table 6 of the above Answer and the number of long-term claimants (over 12 months) was given in Table 8 of the previous Answer. Table 3, attached, shows corresponding data for the London borough of Brent.
| Table 1: Number of unemployed persons, aged 16 and over, resident in Brent East Parliamentary constituency | ||
| Thousand | ||
| 12 months ending | Number of unemployed | Long-term unemployed( 1) |
| (1)
Over 12 months. (2) Sample size too small to provide
estimate. Notes: 1. Estimates are subject to
sampling variability. 2. Changes in the estimates from year to
year should be treated with particular
caution. Source: Annual Population
Survey | ||
| Table 2: Number of unemployed persons, aged 16 and over, resident in the London borough of Brent | ||
| Thousand | ||
| 12 months ending | Number of unemployed | Long-term unemployed( 1) |
| (1)
Over 12 months. Notes: 1. Estimates are
subject to sampling variability. 2. Changes in the estimates
from year to year should be treated with particular
caution. Source: Annual local area Labour
Force Survey; Annual Population
Survey | ||
| Table 3: Claimants of Jobseeker’s Allowance resident in the London borough of Brent | ||
| All claimants | Long-term claimants( 1,2) | |
| (1)
Computerised claims only. Dataset rounded to nearest
5 (2) Over 12
months. Source: Jobcentre Plus administrative
data held on
NomisÂ(r) | ||
John Hemming: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the contribution to the UK economy of those on benefits who volunteer. [86735]
Dawn Primarolo: No such research has been undertaken. However, the Government recognises the potential impact of volunteering on helping benefit claimants return to work, and has taken a numberof steps to facilitate volunteering. The Russell Commission looked at the experiences of young volunteers in receipt of benefits, and put forward a number of recommendations, as well as publishing the Guide to Volunteering on Benefits.
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of the report on the dry run of the Whole of Government Accounts process for 2005-06. [88090]
Mr. Timms: In December 2005, HM Treasury published a report entitled ‘Delivering the benefits of accruals accounting for the whole public sector’. Within this document a full account was given of the Whole of Government process to date and the intended 2005-06 dry run. There is no current intention to publish any further account of the 2005-06 Whole of Government dry run process.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of abortions were performed on pregnancies of (a) under nine weeks, (b) nine to 12 weeks, (c) 13 to 16 weeks, (d) 17 to 19 weeks, (e) 20 to 23 weeks and (f) 24 weeks and over duration in 2005. [85147]
Caroline Flint: The information requested is shown in the following table:
| Abortions, residents: percentages by gestation, England and Wales, 2005 | |
| Gestation | Percentage |
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many abortions have been performed under the terms of the Abortion Act 1967 as amended by section 34 of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990; and how many and what proportion were performed (a) in an emergency to save the life of the mother and (b) in cases of rape. [85170]
Caroline Flint: There were 5.3 million (5,289,701) abortions performed in England and Wales on residents between 1968 and 2005. In the period between 1968 and 2002, 410 were performed under Section 1(4), in an emergency to save the life of the mother. The proportion performed in cases of rape is not collected.
Notes:
We are unable to provide these data for confidentiality reasons as the totals for the three years 2003-05 are less than 10 and have not previously been published. It is intended that the Department will publish this information in a 10-year table (2003 to 2012) if numbers reach a total of 10 or more.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total number of abortions was in 2005 at (a) 26 weeks and (b) each week after the 26th, broken down by grounds for termination. [85171]
Caroline Flint: We are unable to provide these data for confidentiality reasons as set out in Statistical Bulletin 2006-01, “Abortion Statistics, England and Wales: 2005”; copies of which are available from the Library and also on the Department's website at:
www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/13/68/59/04136859.pdf.
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many clerical and administrative staff have been allocated lower pay bands as a result of Agenda for Change. [84877]
Ms Rosie Winterton: From the available information on the computer aided job evaluation system it would suggest that the majority administrative and clerical posts are matching national profiles across bands one to five. This cannot readily be compared to the previous Whitley system.
Mr.
Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for
Health how many people (a) under and (b) over the age of
18 years were admitted to hospital for
alcohol-related
problem in each year since 1997 for which figures are available, broken
down by (i) region, (ii) health authority and (iii) primary care trust.
[84911]
Caroline
Flint: The information requested is not held centrally in
the format requested. However, data is
provided in the following table for patients admitted to hospital for
alcohol-related problems broken down by strategic health authority
(SHA) for 2003-04 and
2004-05.
| Count of patients admitted to hospital for alcohol-related conditions by region, SHA and age (ICD10 codes F10,K70,T51) Data for all NHS hospitals in England, data years 2003-04, 2004-05 | |||||
| 2004-05 | 2003-04 | ||||
| Government office region | SHA | under 18 | 18 and over | under 18 | 18 and over |
| Notes: Ungrossed Data Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data that is the data is ungrossed. Patient counts Patient counts are based on the unique patient identifier HES1D. This identifier is derived based on patient's date of birth, postcode, sex, local patient identifier and NHS number, using an agreed algorithm. Where data are incomplete, HESID must erroneously link episodes or fail to recognise episodes for the same patient. Care is therefore needed, especially where duplicate records persist in the data. The patient count cannot be summed across a table where patients may have episodes in more than one cell. ICD10 codes used: F10, T51, K70 - Alcohol related admissions. Data has been provided for 2004-05 and 2003-04 only as data from earlier years is not comparable as a time series in the requested format due to boundary changes of SHA's. Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The Information Centre for health and social care. | |||||
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what account was taken by the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence of the opinion of health professionals on the efficacy of Alzheimer drugs when drawing up its recommendations. [85212]
Andy
Burnham: The National Institute for Health and Clinical
Excellence (NICE) follows a standard process when developing its
guidance. This process encourages bodies representing health
professionals to register as consultees. Consultees can submit written
evidence, comment on the appraisal documents and appeal against the
appraisal committee's final recommendations. All NICE guidance is
subject to public consultation on the NICE website and any clinician
can log on and give their comments in this way. Two clinical experts
nominated by the consultee organisations give their expert personal
view by attending the initial appraisal committee discussion
and/or providing written evidence to the committee. Evidence submitted
by health professional groups and clinical experts is published on the
NICE website throughout the guidance development
process.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many babies have been born in each London borough through assisted reproductive technology in each year since 2000. [87116]
Caroline Flint: The information requested is not collected centrally. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) does collect data on live births reported to it by HFEA licensed clinics resulting from treatment cycles involving in vitro fertilisation and donor insemination. Data for London are shown in the table.
| Live births resulting from in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and donor insemination (DI) treatment cycles from in London from 2000-04 | |
| District—London( 1) | |
| (1)
The table identifies the total number of babies born according to their
date of birth. HFEA has used the Patients Guide To Infertility
definition of regions, which relates to the location in which the IVF
or DI treatment took place. This is not necessarily the location of the
birth or the place of residence of the patient. (2) 2004 is the most recent year for which information is available. Source: Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority | |
Mr. Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients within the Coastal primary care trust and East Kent hospital trust areas are awaiting (a) assessment and (b) fitting of hearing aids for the first time. [87266]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The information requested is not collected centrally.
Mr. Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the East Kent hospital trust will switch to the exclusive fitting of digital hearing aids. [87267]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The information requested is not held centrally. It is for primary care trusts to ensure their local population benefits from modernised hearing aid services.
Mr. Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many audiology posts are unfilled in England. [87268]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The March 2005 vacancy survey recorded 70 vacancies for audiologists which remained unfilled after three months or more in England. This was a three-month vacancy rate of4.8 per cent.
The results of the 2006 vacancy survey are due to be published on the 27 July 2006.
Ann Keen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps her Department is taking to inform the South Asian community about (a) high blood pressure and (b) diabetes. [84432]
Caroline Flint: The White Papers, “Choosing Health” and “Our Health, Our Care, Our Say”, set out a range of action to improve health and tackle health inequalities that can lead to ill health. General Government action promoting a balanced diet and increased physical activity helps to address the risk factors that may lead to high blood pressure and diabetes. In particular, tackling obesity and action to reduce the intake of salt, fat and sugar can help reduce these risks.
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether her Department has issued guidelines to primary care trusts on the funding of brachytherapy; [86456]
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment she has made of the use of brachytherapy; and if she will make a statement. [87681]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Department issued ‘Advice on the Development of Permanent Seed Implant Brachytherapy Services (low dose brachytherapy) for Localised Prostate Cancer in England’ for consultation in summer 2005. The consultation document can be found on the Department’s website at:
www.dh.gov.uk/Consultations/ClosedConsultations.
Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what account was taken of her Department’s policy on breastfeeding when assessing whether to allow the Patch infant formula trial in NHS hospitals. [85736]
Caroline Flint: The Department’s policy on the governance of research is set out in the research governance framework for health and social care (second edition, April 2005), a statement of standards issued by the Secretary of State for Health. Any research study involving national health service patients, their organs, tissues or data or the use of NHS premises or facilities has to have the favourable opinion of a NHS research ethics committee.
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what mechanisms there are by which NHS organisations can give money to other NHS organisations; and what estimate she has made of capital shifting within the NHS in each month of 2006. [85624]
Andy Burnham: The Department uses the process of inter authority transfers (IATs) to effect revenue and capital resource and cash transfers between national health service organisations during a financial year. These adjustments can be requested on a monthly basis as part of the NHS financial monitoring arrangements and must be agreed by both parties to the transfer and the Department.
Mr.
Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for
Health when she expects the recommendations made by the
review of the Carr Hill formula to be published; and if she will make a
statement on the conclusions of the first phase of the review.
[84011]
Caroline Flint: It is anticipated that the group tasked with the review of general medical services funding will report on its findings and recommendations during 2006-07.
No conclusions have yet been reached by the group.
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what responsibility general practitioners have to inform parents and guardians that children are due for vaccination. [85635]
Caroline Flint: Under the terms of their contract, general practitioners are required to provide essential services to their patients—which includes the provision of health promotion advice, for example on vaccinations and immunisations. Practices may also choose to provide childhood immunisations themselves under a directed enhanced service. This requires practices to offer recommended immunisations to children on its childhood immunisation scheme register and information to parents or guardians about its immunisation programme.
James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she made of clinical care following the death of Peter Halley of Southend-on-Sea at Southend hospital on 14 May 2004; and what existing policies were amended as a result. [87946]
Andy Burnham: It is for primary care trusts in partnership with strategic health authorities and other local stakeholders to determine how best to use their funds to meet national and local priorities for improving health, tackling health inequalities and modernising services. The local national health service owes a duty of care to any patient it treats.
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance she has issued to NHS foundation trusts on provision of practical and clinically safe medical care in a community setting. [85094]
Ms
Rosie Winterton: National health service foundation trusts
(NHSFTs) are bound to comply with national health care standards and
targets under their terms of authorisation (terms and conditions of
operation) and are accountable to Monitor (the statutory name of which
is the independent regulator
of NHS foundation trusts) for complying with the authorisation. Monitor
has powers of intervention in cases of significant
failure.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to publish the full guidance following her letter sent in February to strategic health authorities identifying the criteria for enhancing the role of community hospitals for revenue purposes following the recent capital announcement. [84160]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The further guidance identified in the letter sent to strategic health authorities on 16 February entitled ‘Moving care closer to home’ was published on 5 July 2006. The publication is titled ‘Our Health, Our Care, Our Community: investing in the future of community hospitals and services’ and is available in the Library and on the Department’s website at:
www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/13/69/32/04136932.pdf
Mr. Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many recent (a) letters and (b) representations her Department has received in relation to (i) Ludlow Community Hospital and (ii) Bishop’s Castle Community Hospital in Shropshire. [85286]
Caroline Flint: The Department has received a large number of letters from both hon. Members and members of the public about the review of services in Shropshire, including letters about Ludlow Community Hospital and Bishop’s Castle Community Hospital. An accurate figure could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what estimate her Department has made of the number of community hospital beds in the Shropshire Primary Care Trust area in each year since 1997; [85287]
Andy
Burnham: Primary care trusts (PCTs) are responsible for
commissioning services, including community beds and community hospital
facilities, to meet the health needs of their local population.
Shropshire County PCT and Telford and Wrekin PCT
are currently consulting on proposed changes to community hospitals
across
Shropshire.
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate her Department has made of the number of community hospital beds in the Cotswolds and Vale Primary Care Trust area in each year since 1997. [85428]
Andy Burnham: The information requested is not held centrally.
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to her oral statement of 5 July 2006, Official Report, column 826, on community hospitals, how many community hospitals have (a) opened and (b) closed in Avon, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire Strategic Health Authority area since 1997; and for how many possible closure is being considered. [85434]
Andy Burnham: The information requested is not collected centrally.
Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate her Department has made of the number of community hospital beds in Kennet and North Wiltshire primary care trust area in each year since 1997. [85496]
Andy Burnham: It is for local primary care trusts in conjunction with their strategic health authorities to make an assessment of the local health service provision.
Mr. Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Walsall, North, of 13 June 2006, regarding a constituent. [87165]
Andy Burnham: A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 21 July 2006.
Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in England have been diagnosed with Crohn’s disease; what NHS funds are set aside to help treat those suffering from the disease; and what public funds have been allocated to help finance research into developing a DNA Crohn’s disease vaccine. [87071]
Mr. Ivan Lewis [holding answer 20 July 2006]: Information on the number of people diagnosed with Crohn's disease is not collected. NHS funds are not specifically set aside for the treatment of individual diseases.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research she has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the quality of dental appliances entering the UK from (i) EU countries and (ii) countries outside the EU; and if she will make a statement. [85927]
Andy Burnham: No research has been commissioned on the quality of dental appliances entering the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union (EU) or non-EU countries. All dental appliances being placed on the UK market must meet the safety and quality requirements in the Medical Devices Directive 93/42/EC.
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dental practices in Ruislip-Northwood constituency have (a) opened and (b) closed since 1997. [86479]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Data on the opening and closure of general dental services (GDS) or personal dental services (PDS) practices is not collected centrally. However, the number of practice addresses is available.
The number of GDS and PDS dental practices in Ruislip-Northwood constituency is shown in the table.
| General dental services (GDS) and personal dental services (PDS): Number of GDS or PDS dental practice addresses in Ruislip-Northwood constituency as at 31 March each year | |
| Number | |
| Notes: 1. A dentist with a GDS or PDS contract may provide as little or as much national health service treatment as he or she chooses or has agreed with the primary care trust. Information concerning the amount of time dedicated to NHS work by individual GDS or PDS dentists is not centrally available. 2. Areas have been defined using the Office for National Statistics all fields postcode directory. 3. Data have been supplied by the Information Centre for health and social care. Source: The Information Centre for health and social care NHS Business Services Authority | |
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to expand the choice available to patients over the provider of diagnostic tests which need to be completed as part of the patient’s care pathway. [86213]
Andy
Burnham: From 30 April 2006, patients awaiting diagnostic
imaging tests who do not have an appointment scheduled within 20 weeks
are being offered the choice of having their scan at
another
provider within a maximum of 20 weeks. From April 2007, patients who do
not have an appointment scheduled within 13 weeks will be offered the
choice of having their scan at another provider within a maximum of 13
weeks. Speeding up access to diagnostic imaging tests is a key element
of the drive to reduce overall access time for the benefit of patients
and central to delivering an 18-week referral to treatment patient
pathway by 2008.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent estimate she has made of the total number of each type of diagnostic test carried out in a year. [86214]
Andy Burnham: Data on the total number of each type of diagnostic test carried out in a year is not centrally collected. However, it is estimated that around 630 million diagnostic tests are carried out each year for national health service patients.
| Type | Number | |
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether (a) commissioners and (b) providers have responsibility for the reduction of diagnostic waiting times in order to achieve the 18-week waiting time target. [86215]
Andy
Burnham: Delivery of the 18-week patient pathway will be
led by primary care trusts as commissioners of care for their local
patients. All organisations delivering care along the pathway have a
responsibility to ensure that the patient does not
wait
more than 18 weeks from general practitioner referral to hospital
treatment. This includes providers of diagnostic
services.
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the multiple traffic light system for nutrients when dealing with portions of food on the basis of levels per 100 g. [83889]
Caroline Flint: The basis for the traffic light colour coding recommended by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) reflects expert advice on the most appropriate criteria for a signposting scheme which is intend to help consumers to make healthier choices. It incorporates a per 100 g element and a per portion element for food sold in large portion sizes. In addition, the FSA recommends that traffic light colour coded signposts declares information on the levels of nutrients in a manufacturer’ recommended serving.
Mr. Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many district community nurses are employed by the South East London Strategic Health Authority. [81947]
Ms Rosie Winterton: South East London Strategic Health Authority (SHA) ceased to exist on 30 June 2006 but at 30 September 2005 568 community district nurses were employed by primary care trusts in its area. National health service London was established on1 July 2006 as the SHA for London.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many doctors have been struck off in each health care trust in each of the last five years; and what the reason was in each case. [87309]
Andy Burnham: The Department does not collect this information centrally, and is not directly involved in the disciplining of individual doctors. Decisions about whether a doctor should be struck off the register are a matter for the General Medical Council.
Judy Mallaber: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will instruct primary care trusts (a) to withdraw from contracts with Air Products for the supply of domiciliary oxygen and (b) to take steps to ensure a reliable supply of domiciliary oxygen to patients. [86078]
Andy
Burnham: Since the start of a six-month transition
programme on 1 February 2006, we have been working with primary care
trusts to transfer patients to new service suppliers, including Air
Products. This includes action to monitor closely
each
supplier’s capacity to deliver the required standard of service
to all patients using oxygen therapy in the home. There is continuous
assessment of suppliers with regular meetings to discuss
suppliers’ reports on progress and action to tackle emerging
issues.
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the expected annual change in costs is of providing domiciliary oxygen services before and after the introduction of the new contract; [82544]
Andy Burnham: In 2004-05 the last full financial year of providing the service under former arrangements, the cost of providing domiciliary oxygen services was £32,809,524. It is not possible to make a direct comparison in the costs of these arrangements with the arrangements supporting service delivery before that date, as the costs are calculated on a differentbasis. Under the new arrangements, which began on1 February 2006, the annual cost will reflect the regional contract per diem prices in the 10 oxygen service regions in England and local patterns in ordering these services. The full cost of the service for 2005-06 is not yet available and these will include costs associated with the introduction of the new arrangements on 1 February 2006. The first full year under the new service arrangement will be 2006-07 and we are only three months into the current financial year. In addition, in many parts of the country, primary care trusts have continued to work with local pharmacists to maintain a cylinder service in parallel with the new arrangements to safeguard continuity of supply to patients during action to transfer all patients to the new suppliers.
| 2005-06 | |
| Total (£000) | |
| (1)
In some calendar months there are two payment dates as payments are
made on the 1(st) of the month, unless this falls on a weekend
or a bank holiday—in which case the payment in made earlier.
Only 12 payments can be made in one financial
year. | |
Dr. Vis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations she has received from patients who have experienced difficulties with supplies of oxygen for home oxygen therapy. [R] [83991]
Andy Burnham: Since the introduction of the new contractual arrangements of domiciliary oxygen supply on the 1 February 2006, through to 19 July 2006, the Department has received 241 written representations concerned with this service.
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much her Department spent on tackling (a) drug and (b) alcohol dependency in (i) rural and (ii) non-rural areas in the last period for which figures are available; what these figures represent per head of population in each case; and if she will make a statement. [85878]
Caroline Flint: Drugs funding is issued on a drug action team (DAT) basis, which does not allow us to identify the split in funding between rural and non-rural areas. The 2006-07 pooled drug treatment budget, allocated at DAT level is shown in the table. Mainstream investment by primary care trusts and local authorities in drug treatment is additional to this and is estimated nationally at £212(1) million in 2006-07.
(1) Based on 2 per cent. inflation increase.
| Pooled drug treatment budget channelled through primary care trust 2006-07 | |||
| Region | DAT code | DAT | £ |
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate her Department has made of the number of people in (a) rural and (b) non-rural areas with (i) drug and (ii) alcohol dependency (A) in absolute terms and (B) per head of population; and if she will make a statement. [85881]
Caroline Flint: The Department’s 2004 alcohol needs assessment research project is the first alcohol needs assessment in England conducted on a national scale, and reports there are 1.1 million people in England who meet the criteria of alcohol dependence. We are unable to supply a breakdown of rural and non-rural areas, however regional breakdown is shown intable 1.
| Table 1 | |
| Region | Total |
| Table 2: Prevalence of drug dependence of adults( 1) , by NHS regional office area and sex (rate per thousand population), 2000 | |||||||||
| Rate per thousand in past year | |||||||||
| Northern and Yorkshire | Trent | West Midlands | North West | Eastern | London | South East | South West | England | |
| ‘—’denotes
no cases 0 denotes values less than 0.5 per cent. (1) Adults aged 16-74 Note: The sample for England has been subdivided into eight NHS regional office areas, which should not be mistaken for the current Government office region structure. The sample sizes in a number of regions are quite small and there was differential non-response between regions. Source: Psychiatric Morbidity Among Adults Living in Private Households, 2000. Office for National Statistics carried out on behalf of Department of Health, the Scottish Executive and the National Assembly for Wales. | |||||||||
Mr. Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health why her Department is not renewing its contract to provide the journal Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin to doctors and therapeutic advisers in England. [73867]
Andy Burnham [holding answer 5 June 2006]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr. Lansley), on5 June 2006, Official Report, column 366W.
John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what estimate has been made of the number of local NHS organisations which will bulk subscribe to the Drugs and Therapeutic Bulletin following the ending of the NHS-wide subscription; [86770]
Andy Burnham: The Department has made no such estimate and has no plans to issue guidance to the national health service. I understand that Which? Limited, the publishers of the Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin are examining a range of possible future subscription arrangements.
Mr. Howard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the financial out-turn of the East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust was in each year since 1997; and if she will make a statement. [85366]
Caroline Flint: The following table provides the financial outturn of the East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust since 1999 to 2004-05.The first available data for this trust is for 1999-2000.
| £000 | |
| Source: Audited summarisation schedules of: East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust (1999-2000 to 2004-05) Provisional outturn for East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust (2005-06) | |
Mr. Howard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what payments central Government made to East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust for 2005-06; whether there were payments that were undertaken to be made but were not made; what payments are planned for 2006-07; and if she will make a statement. [85369]
Caroline Flint: Details of the payments made by central Government to East Kent Hospitals National Health Service Trust during 2005-06 and 2006-07 is available in the Library.
Mr. Pelling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the waiting time for an echo-cardiogram was in Croydon in the last period for which figures are available; and how many such procedures have been carried out in the last 12 months. [84666]
Andy Burnham: This information is not available in the format requested.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of e-coli were recorded in each London borough in each of the last five years. [85952]
Caroline Flint: Although food poisoning is notifiable, there is no specific requirement to identify the organism that is involved.
(1) Before 2002, data collection was carried out using different geographical boundaries and are not therefore included.
| Number of confirmed cases of E.coli 0157 | |
| Source: Laboratory of Enteric Pathogens, Health Protection Agency Centre for Infections, Colindale | |
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what (a) targets, (b) instructions and (c) guidance have been set for primary care trusts in respect of the (i) type and (ii) proportion of elective acute procedures which should be procured from the independent sector; [87661]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: There are no instructions or targets for the type or proportion of activity that primary care trusts (PCTs) must secure through the independent sector, so there is no question of PCTs failing to secure a given level of provision.
Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many emergency admissions to hospital there were in each year since 1998-99. [82013]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The information requested is shown in the following table:
| Count of emergency admissions for all national health service hospitals in England | |
| Data year | Emergency admissions |
| Source: The Information Centre for health and social care | |
Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations she has received on the establishment of a Faculty of Medical Management and Leadership. [71421]
Andy Burnham: I have received no representations on this subject.
Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps her Department has taken to ensure that (a) supermarkets and (b) manufacturers implement the recommendations of the Food Standards Agency concerning front of pack labelling. [81419]
Caroline Flint: The Government recommendations for voluntary front of pack signpost labelling based on four core principles:
provision of information for fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt;
use of red, amber, green colour coding to indicate at a glance whether the level of individual nutrients is high, medium and low;
information on the level of each nutrient present in a portion of the product; and
use of nutritional criteria developed by the agency.
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures the Government and their non-departmental public bodies have put in place to ensure food manufacturers report to the Food Standards Agency infections harmful to human health in their produce; and if she will make a statement. [84627]
Caroline Flint: Under the General Food Law Regulation (EC) 178/2002, it is illegal to place any food on the market if it is unsafe, that is, injurious to human health or unfit for human consumption. The regulation also requires food manufacturers to inform immediately both the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and their local authority of any food assessed to be potentially harmful to health. The food must then be withdrawn from the market and, if necessary, recalled from consumers. In order to facilitate food manufacturers' obligations to report food incidents under Regulation 178/2002, the FSA has made available to industry guidance on reporting which can be accessed from the FSA's website at:
www.food.gov.uk
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent guidelines the Food Standards Agency has issued regarding testing for salmonella by food manufacturers; and if she will make a statement. [84628]
Caroline Flint: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has not issued specific guidance on salmonella testing since testing regimes should be established by food business operators, informed by their food safety management systems. The FSA has, however, issued a range of guidance documents to assist food businesses and enforcers with implementing the new hygiene legislation. These list sources of further technical guidance from industry representative bodies and expert organisations which will help businesses to establish appropriate hazard analysis critical control point-based procedures and testing regimes.
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment the Food Standards Agency has made of whether guideline daily amounts on food assist consumers in making judgments about the healthiness of a food product. [83884]
Caroline Flint: The Food Standards Agency tested a total of seven different guideline daily amounts (GDA) signpost formats with consumers. The results indicated that many consumers could not use this information to correctly assess the nutritional quality of food. Understanding improved when the GDA information was provided in combination with traffic light colour coding.
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Food Standards Agency has tested the effectiveness of monochrome guideline daily amounts showing nutrients as a percentage of guideline daily amounts. [83890]
Caroline Flint: A monochrome guideline daily amount (GDA) signpost format was included in the signpost formats the Food Standards Agency tested with consumers. The results indicated that in practice many consumers could not use this information to correctly assess the nutritional quality of food. Understanding improved when the GDA information was provided in combination with traffic light colour coding.
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the impact of legal fee liability upon the prosecution of food and drink companies by competent authorities under the General Food Regulations 2004; and if she will make a statement. [85039]
Caroline Flint: There has been no assessment of the impact of legal fee liability upon prosecution of food and drink companies under the General Food Regulations 2004. This was not mentioned as a possible financial burden in any of the responses to the public consultation exercise before the general food regulations were introduced.
Mr.
Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of
State for Health what information is made available to the public by
the NHS on the incidence of genetic
disorders for children of closely related parents; and if she will make
a statement.
[85017]
Andy Burnham: The provision of information to the public on this kind of issue is generally a matter for local national health service services taking into account the needs and cultural background of their local population.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 21 March 2006, Official Report, column 264W, on genito-urinary medicine (GUM), what percentage of attenders at genito-urinary medicine clinics were recorded as not given an appointment within two weeks in the (a) February 2006 and (b) May 2006 audit of GUM clinic waiting times by the Health Protection Agency. [84674]
Caroline Flint: Figures for the February 2006 audit showed that 18 per cent. of attendees at genito-urinary medicine (GUM) clinics were not seen within two weeks since first contacting the clinic. However, some of these patients were offered an earlier appointment but could not attend.
www.hpa.org.uk/infections/topics_az/hiv_and_st/epidemiology/wtimes.htm
Mr. Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will promote the adoption of a Halal symbol to enable Muslim consumers easily to identify Halal products. [85576]
Caroline Flint: The Food Standards Agency works closely with the Muslim community through its Muslim organisations working group and its members are currently working on a voluntary halal code of practice to assist with producing a standardised halal certification system. Once this has been produced, it is hoped that it will be widely adopted by the Muslim community, allowing for food to be labelled or otherwise marked as halal in accordance with that code of practice and providing clearer advice for consumers.
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the level of expenditure on (a) primary care and (b) hospital care was in Islington in each of the past five years; and what the estimated level is in 2006-07. [84946]
Andy Burnham: The table shows data for Islington primary care trust (PCT) for the years that it has been in existence, 2002-03 to 2004-05, which is the latest year for which information is available. Prior to 2002-03, it is not possible to identify expenditure in Islington as it was not a separate reporting identity.
| Expenditure by Islington PCT | ||
| £000 | ||
| Purchase of primary healthcare | Purchase of secondary healthcare | |
| Source: Audited
summarisation schedules of Islington
PCT. | ||
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were diagnosed with (a) diabetes and (b) Alzheimer’s syndrome in each London borough in each year since 1997. [87495]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Data on the number of patients diagnosed with diabetes is not held in the format requested. However, the number of patients with diabetes by London primary care trust (PCT) for March 2005 and March 2006 which are the latest figures available is shown in the following table.
Data on the number of people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s syndrome is not collected centrally.
| Number of patients with diabetes as identified on practice registers | ||||
| London | March 2006 | March 2005 | ||
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what representations she has received from NHS employers regarding the effectiveness of the Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Workers; [81789]
Ms Rosie Winterton: NHS Employers is an independent body with responsibility for providing national health service employers with guidance about employment matters, this includes advice and support on the implementation of the code of practice.
the number of agencies on the code of practice list;
ongoing investigations of alleged breaches of the code; and
removal of agencies from the list.
Mr. Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 22 June 2006, Official Report, column 2098W, on the Healthcare Commission, when she expects to publish regulations to transfer the regulation of controlled drugs to the Healthcare Commission; and what consultation is planned prior to the publication of such regulations. [87737]
Andy Burnham: The Health Bill, which creates the regulation making powers, received Royal Assent on19 July. The regulations will be laid, subject to parliamentary timetables, this autumn. The guidance on the new governance arrangements for controlled drugs was developed in conjunction with key stakeholders—professionals, regulators, police services, service providers and patient groups and was the subject of formal public consultation in the summer of 2005. The response to the consultation is available on the Department's website.
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether manufacturers of products registered under the Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products Directive will be able to indicate on their label whether they comply with organic standards of production; [85631]
Andy Burnham: Article 62 of Directive 2001/83/EC provides that, in addition to other mandatory information, the outer packaging and the package leaflet of a medicinal product covered by the requirements of the directive may include other information compatible with the summary of product characteristics which is useful for the patient, to the exclusion of any element of a promotional nature. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is currently investigating the issue raised and in particular whether there are circumstances in which references to organic production could be compatible with the summary of product characteristics.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the charge was per minute for telephone calls made (a) by patients from and (b) to patients in hospital, in each primary care trust in each of the past five years; and if she will make a statement. [87329]
Andy Burnham: The NHS Plan, published in July 2000, announced bedside televisions and telephones would be available in every major hospital by 2004. The systems have now been installed in around 80,000 beds in 160 major national health service hospitals.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions she has had with the Department for Communities and Local Government on joint action to prevent health hazards resulting from poorly heated and insulated housing; and if she will make a statement. [86591]
Caroline Flint: In the recent “The UK Fuel Poverty Strategy” fourth annual progress report it highlights in most areas that there has been a lot of cross departmental work to address fuel poverty across the regions including the role of the health sector in reducing health related harm. The National Energy Action (NEA) has undertaken a wide range of projects during 2004-05 and these have aimed to contribute to the co-ordination of delivery of energy efficiency services at local level, develop strategic fuel poverty alleviation activity by regional bodies and to continue work with partners in the health sector.
Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment she has made of regional variations in availability of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence-approved treatments for lymphoma; and if she will make a statement. [87740]
Ms Rosie Winterton: In June 2004, the National Cancer Director published a report into variations in usage of cancer drugs approved by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) including Rituximab (Mabthera) for lymphoma. This showed a 2.6 fold variation in the use of rituximab across the 34 cancer networks—this was the narrowest variation of all the NICE approved drugs considered.
Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the Government have spent on research into (a) prevention and (b) treatment of lymphoma in each year from 1997. [87741]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Lymphoma is the most common type of haematological cancer and includes Hodgkin’s and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The latter includes a wide range of conditions. Treatment depends on the type of lymphoma and staging of the disease.
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the regulation of chiropractic, with particular reference to the proposals of the General Chiropractic Council to withdraw accreditation from the McTimoney Chiropractic course at the University of Wales. [53085]
Andy Burnham: I understand that agreement has been reached for those students currently in years three, four and five to graduate and be eligible for registration as chiropractors. The General Chiropractic Council and McTimoney College are continuing to work together to achieve a positive outcome for students currently in years one and two. However, the matter remains subjudice whilst discussions continue about the position of these students.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she plans to make representations to the European Commission on revising the Medical Devices Directive. [86282]
Andy Burnham: The Commission published a proposed directive revising the medical devices directive in December 2005 which is currently being negotiated in the Council of Ministers working group. Given that these negotiations are ongoing there are no plans to request the Commission to undertake another revision exercise.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent advice she has received from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency with regards to the revision of the Medical Devices Directive. [85929]
Andy Burnham: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has the responsibility for negotiating the proposal to revise the Medical Devices Directive in the Council of Ministers working group. The United Kingdom’s negotiating position has been agreed by Ministers.
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many service users from black and minority ethnic backgrounds attended each of the consultation events relating to the Race Equality Impact Assessment on the Mental Health Bill. [81978]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Care services improvement partnership and the National Assembly for Wales organised a series of seven consultation events to gather views on the proposed amendments to the Mental Health Act 1983, as part of the race equality impact assessment. The events, held in Cardiff, Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Leicester and London, attracted approximately 430 people from a variety of backgrounds and organisations. Delegates were not asked to record their ethnicity, so we do not have a specific record of how many service users from black and minority ethnic backgrounds attended the events. However, of the organisations that registered their attendance there were representatives of service users groups from a range of black and minority ethnic backgrounds: Black, African, Afro-Caribbean, Somali, United Kingdom Asian, South Asian, Indian, Pakistani, Chinese and Irish.
Ann Keen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many midwives were practising in the National Health Service in (a) London and (b) England in each year since 1992, expressed as a (i) headcount and (ii) whole-time equivalent figure. [84431]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Information on the number of midwives in London and England in each year since 1992 is shown in the table.
| National Health Service Hospital and Community Health Services: Qualified Midwifery Staff in England and the London Strategic Health Authority (SHA) Area as at 30 September each specified year | ||
| Headcount | ||
| England | Of which: London SHA total( 1) | |
| Full-time equivalent | ||
| England | Of which: London SHA total( 1) | |
| (1)
London SHA figures 1996-2001 are estimated based on the 2005
organisational structure. Full-time equivalent figures are rounded to
the nearest whole
number. (2) A new system of occupation coding for NHS non-medical staff was introduced in 1995. The new codes classify staff according to what they do rather than the terms and conditions under which they are employed i.e. national pay scales. Figures based on new occupation codes are not directly comparable with those based on the old pay scale classification, therefore figures since 1995 are not comparable with earlier years. (3) Not available. Source: The Information Centre for health and social care non-medical workforce census. | ||
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the answer of 27 June 2006, Official Report, column 330W, on ministerial meetings, which two dates were cancelled for a meeting between the hon. Member for Chorley and the Minister of State for Health. [84145]
Mr. Ivan Lewis [holding answer 10 July 2006]: A meeting was scheduled to take place between the hon. Member for Chorley and the Minister of State for Health on Monday 5 June at 8 p.m. in Interview Room 1, Portcullis House. The meeting was postponed. The Minister of State for Health had hoped to offerthe hon. Member further dates for this meeting on the evenings of 12 and 19 June but was prevented from doing so by parliamentary business.
Another meeting was arranged on 22 June. Representatives of the hon. Member attended.
Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which NHS establishments Ministers in her Department have visited in North East Cambridgeshire constituency in the last 12 months. [85981]
Andy Burnham: Departmental Ministers have not visited any national health service establishments in the North East Cambridgeshire constituency in the last 12 months. However, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health visited Hinchingbrooke Hospital, Huntingdon on 26 May 2005 and Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Mental Health Partnership Trust in Fulborne on 26 June 2006.
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which NHS establishments Ministers in her Department have visited in East Yorkshire constituency in the last 12 months. [85324]
Mr. Ivan Lewis [holding answer 17 July 2006]: My hon. Friend, Ms Caroline Flint, Minister of State for Public Health visited health trainers from East and West Hull primary care trusts on 23 March 2006.
Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make an assessment of recent research by the Wake Forest University School of Medicine in North Carolina on a possible link between the MMR triple vaccine and autism and bowel disease in children; and if she will make a statement. [84799]
Caroline
Flint: The recent study by the Wake Forest University
School of Medicine into a possible link between the triple vaccine and
autism and bowel
disease in children (the Krigsman study) cannot be given credibility
since it did not include any control groups. The same investigation in
Dr Wakefield’s own laboratories showed no evidence of measles
virus in bowel tissue from autistic children. Several properly
conducted studies that include control groups, have failed to find
measles virus persisting in the blood cells of autistic children and
therefore we believe that there remains no convincing epidemiological
or virological evidence for measles, mumps and rubella playing a part
in causing autism.
Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how often her Department reviews medical evidence which forms the basis for blood donation rules that (a) permanently exclude men who have had sex with men and (b) temporarily exclude female sexual partners of those men; when the last review of the medical evidence was carried out; and when the next review is scheduled to take place. [76928]
Caroline Flint: Donor selection criteria are set by the Joint UK Blood Transfusion Services and National Institute of Biological Standards and Control Professional Advisory Committee (JPAC). The rules regarding blood donation are guided by epidemiological data relating to the United Kingdom and are regularly subject to review.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when her Department will invite primary care trusts to take part in the national procurement process. [84462]
Andy Burnham: An advert was submitted to the Official Journal of the European Union on 13 July which notified of a national procurement of management and support services to help deliver primary care trusts’ (PCT) commissioning obligations.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to her Department's press release of 29 June, on NHS bursaries, what size bursary uplift (a) nursing, (b) midwifery, (c) medical, (d) dental and (e) allied health professional students received in each year since 1997. [84020]
Ms
Rosie Winterton: The table shows the national health
service bursary rates for the basic awards, not including additional
allowances, for the period 1997 to
2007 and the annual percentage increases. The majority of nurses and
midwives receive the non-means tested bursary. Medical and dental
students and the majority of allied health professional students
receive the means-tested NHS bursary. The NHS bursary scheme has
supported allied health professional students since 1998 and medical
and dental undergraduate students since September 2002 from their fifth
and subsequent years of study. During the first four years’ of
study medical and dental students receive support under the Department
for Education and Skills
regulations.
| Basic NHS bursary rates for academic years 1997-98 to 2006-07 | |||||||||||||
| 1997-98 | 1998-99 | 1999-2000 | 2000-01 | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | ||||
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) when she intends to publish her Department’s framework for commissioning, practice-based commissioning and the national contract template for 2007-08; [84453]
Ms Rosie Winterton: On Friday 14 July, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health made a written statement announcing the publication of “Health Reform in England: Update and Commissioning Framework”. This document contains a detailed commissioning framework, which includes proposals for strengthening practice based commissioning and a new model of contracting. It also provides updates on the future of provider reform, workforce development and system management and regulation. A copy of the framework is available in the Library.
Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the Answer of 26 June 2006, Official Report, columns 231-2W, on NHS Direct, what proportion of total NHS Direct sites the proposed closure of 12 sites represents; and what proportion of the total NHS Direct workforce 573 posts represents. [81937]
Ms Rosie Winterton: NHS Direct currently has 54 sites. A number of the 12 sites proposed for closure, representing 22 per cent. of the estate, are small and do not provide suitable accommodation that meets the future needs of NHS Direct for either facilities or good support for staff through supervision.
Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment her Department has made of the impact of NHS Direct on front line services; and if she will make a statement; [81974]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The proposals set out in the consultation document are designed to ensure that NHS Direct can continue to provide a high quality service to patients and can improve the value for money offered to commissioners and to taxpayers. The proposals aim to increase efficiency of NHS Direct operations, improve the patient experience, improve the working experience for staff, and make better use of specialist skills throughout the organisation. NHS Direct recognise that this is a difficult time for staff and are working to ensure that all staff have the opportunity to comment on the proposals, through formal and informal means, as well as working closely with union representatives.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the progress of the review by her Department of the financial support available to students studying for employment in the NHS. [83683]
Ms Rosie Winterton: We have started to review the national health service bursary scheme, in particular to ensure it complies with age discrimination and eligibility legislation. We will also introduce a formal policy to pay for students absent due to maternity and childbirth to replace the current interim arrangements. A consultative meeting has taken place with the Royal College of Nursing, Unison and the British Medical Association. Further meetings are planned during the summer with student representatives and other stakeholders.
Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what additional net resources will be available to the NHS in 2006-07 after taking into account (a) NHS inflation and (b) the 2005-06 deficit. [58168]
Andy Burnham: There will be £6,540 million additional net resources available to the national health service in 2006-07. This represents a real terms increase of 5.8 per cent. on NHS expenditure in 2005-06. This growth takes into account the 2005-06 deficit position. The following able provides the total net NHS expenditure in each of the years.
| 2005-06 (Estimated outturn) | 2006-07 (Plan) | |
Percentage increase (real-gross domestic product deflator 29 March) |
These figures are as reported in Department Report 2006 (DR2006) Table 3.4.
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the capital underspend was for the NHS in 2005-06; and whether her Department plans to redirect the underspend to health authorities with financial deficits. [87114]
Andy Burnham: The 2005-06 provisional outturn is the most recently published data on the national health service financial position. This data shows that the provisional capital underspend in 2005-06 was £1,162 million.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to her oral statement of 30 January 2006, Official Report, column 22, on health and social care services, what progress she has made in developing an NHS life check. [84641]
Caroline Flint: We have made good progress developing the national health service life check. Following a very successful stakeholder workshop there will initially be NHS life checks for three key life stages: early years, adolescence, and mid-life.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the written statement of 11 June 2006, Official Report, column 64WS, on the NHS Litigation Authority, for what reasons the NHS Litigation Authority achieved an underspend of £205 million in 2005-06; and whether she expects the change in the discount rate in 2005-06 to lead to additional costs for the Authority in future years. [86211]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The NHS Litigation Authority (NHSLA) forecasts in advance the likely claims expenditure and number of new claims reported to the schemes, neither of which is controlled by the NHSLA. The major impacting factor on the NHSLA’s resource limit is the level of claims reported to the schemes. In 2005-06 fewer claims were made than forecast, meaning fewer new provisions and therefore an underspend in resource terms. As a consequence, NHSLA actuarial advisors reviewed the incurred but not reported provisions which led to a reduction in the resource requirement in year.
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff (a) have been and (b) were expected to be made redundant (i) voluntarily and (ii) compulsorily at (A) Barnet primary care trust, (B) Barnet Chase Farm trust, (C) Royal Free trust and (D) Northwick Park; and if she will make a statement. [84351]
Ms Rosie Winterton: This information is not collected centrally.
Dr. Desmond Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what mechanisms are in place to allow health trusts to consider long-term cost effectiveness when making purchasing decisions following the introduction of the supply chain excellence programme. [86402]
Andy Burnham: The supply chain excellence programme approach to procurement is to blend national health service clinical expertise with best in-class procurement methodology. This methodology includes a review of whole-life costs, where appropriate, of the goods and services the NHS uses.
Dr. Desmond Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the NHS supply chain excellence programme on the uptake and use of medical technology in the NHS. [86403]
Andy Burnham: It is expected that the supply chain excellence programme will have a positive impact on the uptake and use of medical technology in the national health service.
Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will introduce financial management training for chief executives of NHS trusts which are in financial deficit. [86377]
Andy Burnham: All NHS chief executives, as accountable officers, need the skills and experience to ensure proper financial controls are in place and that all resources are well managed. This is assessed as part of the appointment process.
Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the cost per quality-adjusted life-year used by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) in assessing cost effectiveness was originally established; whether she plans to have NICE raise it in line with price inflation; and if she will make a statement. [87746]
Andy Burnham: The cost per quality-adjusted-life-year calculation is one of the factors that informs the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) when reaching a decision on the clinical and cost effectiveness of health technologies. NICE does not have a set limit. NICE'S approach to appraising clinical and cost-effectiveness is set out in its methods guide published in April 2004 and available on its website at:
www.nice.org.uk
Dr. Desmond Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what mechanisms are in place to ensure that the guidance resulting from National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence technology appraisals is implemented across the whole NHS within three months; and if she will make a statement. [86404]
Andy
Burnham: Strategic health authorities manage the national
health service locally on behalf of the Secretary of State. They hold
all local NHS organisations (apart from NHS foundation trusts) to
account for performance and make sure national priorities—for
example, National Institute for Health
and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidance—are integrated into local
health service
plans.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to publish the review of non-medical professional regulation being undertaken by her Department’s Director of Workforce. [85784]
Andy Burnham: The Department published its review of non-medical regulation on 14 July, at the same time as the Chief Medical Officer published his review of medical regulation. A joint public consultation has been launched on the recommendations, which closes on 10 November 2006. Copies of the consultation document, both reports and other related documents are available in the Library.
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the number of non-practising medically qualified doctors in the UK. [85524]
Ms Rosie Winterton: This information is not collected centrally.
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures are being taken to ensure that all food labels clearly indicate whether foods contain nuts. [84264]
Caroline
Flint: The provisions of Directive 2003/89/EC require
that, as from 25 November 2005, a
specified list of allergenic foods, including nuts and peanuts, have to
be clearly declared on the label whenever they are used in all
pre-packed food, including alcoholic
drinks.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will introduce proposals to change the practice of osteopaths determining the profession’s own standards (a) of training, (b) of practice and (c) for access to the statutory register. [80389]
Andy Burnham: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given 16 June 2006, Official Report, column 1565W.
Mr. Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent by her Department on private finance initiative schemes in the last nine years; and how many of those schemes have been completed on time. [85415]
Andy Burnham: Information on completed private finance initiative projects which have opened late is not routinely collected centrally. To provide such information for each of the past nine years would incur disproportionate costs.
| Prioritised PFI schemes by financial and operational (defined as first patient day) date | ||||
| Strategic health authority | NHS trust | Financial close/tender award date | Operational date | Capital value (£ million) |
County Durham and Darlington Acute Hospitals—Bishop Auckland | ||||
| All other non prioritised PFI schemes over £10 million by financial and operational (defined as first patient) date | ||||
| Strategic health authority | NHS trust | Financial close/tender award date | Operational date | Capital value (£ million) |
County Durham and Darlington Acute Hospitals—Chester-le-street | ||||
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of parishes in (a) rural and (b) urban areas have a pharmacy. [85133]
Andy Burnham: This information is not held centrally.
Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) which NHS trusts are recruiting new junior physiotherapists in 2006-07; [87409]
Ms Rosie Winterton: This information is not collected centrally.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she has established an expert group on preventative health spending. [84465]
Caroline Flint: The White Paper “Our health, our care, our say: a new direction for Community Services” sets out a vision to provide people with good quality social care and national health service services in the communities where they live.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 13 February 2006, Official Report, column 1792W, on primary care trusts, what the overall level of investment in enhanced services by primary care trusts (PCTs) was in 2005-06; what the originally planned level of national investment in enhanced services by PCTs was; and if she will make a statement. [85828]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The overall level of national investment in enhanced services by primary care trusts (PCTs) in 2005-06 is forecast to be £649 million. The planned level of national investment (known as the enhanced service floor) was £676 million.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money was recovered by hospitals from insurers towards the cost of treatment of persons injured in road accidents in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available. [83767]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Hospitals have for more than70 years been able to recover the costs of providing treatment to the victims of road traffic accidents where the injured person successfully claims personal injury compensation from the person responsible for causing the injury, through their insurer. However, the Road Traffic (NHS Charges) Act 1999 introduced a streamlined, centralised recovery scheme, operated by the compensation recovery unit, part of the Department for Work and Pensions, on behalf of the Secretary of State. Recoveries since that scheme was introduced in April 1999 are as shown in the table.
| Amount recovered (£) | |
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of skin cancer there have been in each constituency in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) age and (b) sex. [86530]
John Healey: I have been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 24 July 2006:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many cases of skin cancer there have been in each constituency in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) age and (b) sex. [86530]
The latest available figures for newly diagnosed cases of cancer (incidence) are for the year 2003. A table which shows the number of cases of melanoma skin cancer by age and sex for each parliamentary constituency in England, for the years 1999 to 2003, has been placed in the House of Commons Library.
Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment has been made of the effects of treating children with speech and language difficulties in (a) inclusive settings and (b) on a one-to-one basis; and if she will make a statement. [87150]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: No assessment has been carried out centrally. It is for primary care trusts in partnership with strategic health authorities, local authorities and other local stakeholders to determine how best to use their funds to meet national and local priorities for improving health, tackling health inequalities and modernising services. This process provides the means for addressing local needs within the health community including the provision of speech and language therapy.
Mr. Walter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate has been made of the number of staff who have been (a) made redundant, (b) redeployed and (c) prematurely retired as a result of the amalgamation of strategic health authorities; and what the financial cost of these redundancies and early retirements has been. [86589]
Ms Rosie Winterton [holding answer 20 July 2006]: There will be a number of redundancies in strategic health authorities following the restructuring brought about by “Commissioning a Patient-Led NHS”. However until the detail of the new arrangements is agreed, it is difficult to make accurate forecasts.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of syphilis have been reported in each London borough in each of the last five years. [84223]
Caroline Flint: Data on the number of sexually transmitted infections for 2005 for each region were published in ‘Diagnoses of selected 577s by region, sex and age group United Kingdom: 1996-2005’, by the Health Protection Agency on 4 July. A copy of the document is available in the Library. The report is freely available from their website at:
www.hpa.org.uk/infections/topics_az/hiv_and_sti/epidemiology/datatables2005.htm.
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines her Department provides to hospital trusts on the use of mobile telephones by patients in hospitals. [82270]
Andy Burnham: The use of mobile telephones and other communication equipment in close proximity to certain electrically sensitive medical equipment is not advised, as the consequences of disrupting such equipment may cause direct harm to patients.
David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she will make detailed guidance available to NHS research and development departments on the implementation of the regulations in relation to UK Emergency Care Research and the introduction of the Medicine for Human Use (Clinical Trials) Regulations 2004; and if she will make a statement. [87344]
Andy Burnham: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Wyre Forest (Dr. Taylor), on 10 July 2006, Official Report, columns 1619-20W. An amendment is under consideration which would allow researchers to enter incapacitated adults into trials of medicines for emergency treatments which have to be administered before there is time to obtain the consent of a legal representative. A further announcement will be made in the autumn.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people had their posts on the Vocational General Practice Training Scheme suspended due to the Deanery’s financial situation in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [84363]
Ms Rosie Winterton: In 2004-05, seven trainee general practitioners had their training deferred for six months, from August 2004 to February 2005, to help with the financial situation at London Deanery. This is the only time that this has happened in the last five years. In 2006-07, 29 trainees are having their training deferred until February 2007 but this is because fewer doctors have left their training posts than expected. All 29 have now been offered or have found alternative employment until February 2007.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures have been put in place to safeguard places on the Vocational General Practice Training Scheme in the event of a budget overspend by the Deanery. [84364]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The priorities for investment of education and training funding are a matter for local strategic health authorities (SHAs), working with their deaneries in respect of medical education. This is therefore essentially a local matter for the SHA and their deanery to determine. We have been assured however that there is no intention to cut the number of funded training places on the London Deanery vocational general practice training scheme.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what strategy the Department is using to extend weight management services to all who wish to access them; and what incentives are available to GPs to offer these services. [85876]
Caroline Flint: The White Papers “Choosing Health” and “Our Health, Our Care, Our Say”, set out a range of action to improve health and tackle obesity. The Department has published tools to support frontline health professionals in managing obesity locally and extend weight loss services. These include: “Guidance to Primary Care Trusts on Weighing and Measuring Children; an Obesity Care Pathway; a Weight Loss Guide; and a Patient Activity Questionnaire for over 16’s”. These tools were released in April and May this year and copies are available in the Library.
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) medical, (b) nursing and (c) other professional staff were employed by York NHS Trust and NHS primary care services in Selby and York in 1996-97; and how many in each category are employed by York Hospital and Selby and York primary care trust (PCT), including the mental health services staff transferred from the hospital to the PCT. [86523]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The information requested is shown in the following tables.
| National health service staff ( 1, 2, 3, 4) by specified organisation within the North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire strategic health authority (SHA) | |||
| Number (headcount)( 5) | |||
| 1997 | |||
| North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire Q11 | York Hospitals NHS Trust RCB | Selby and York Primary Care Trust (PCT) 5E2 | |
All Hospital and community health services (HCHS) medical and dental staff(3) | |||
| Number (headcount)( 5) | |||
| 2005 | |||
| North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire Q11 | York Hospitals NHS Trust RCB | Selby and York Primary Care Trust PCT 5E2 | |
All Hospital and community health services (HCHS) medical and dental staff(3) | |||
| n/a
= Not available (1) General medical practitioners (excluding retainers) includes contracted GPs, CMS Others, personal medical services (PMS) others and GP registrars. Prior to September 2004 this group included general medical services (GMS) unrestricted principals, PMS contracted GPs, PMS salaried GPs, restricted principals, assistants, GP registrars, salaried doctors (Para 52 SFA), PMS other, flexible career scheme GPs and GP returners. (2) Practice staff includes practice nurses, direct patient care, admin and clerical, and other. (3) Excludes medical hospital practitioners and medical clinical assistants, most of whom are GPs working part time in hospitals (4) GP retainers were first collected in 1999 and have been omitted for comparability purposes (5) GP data as at 1 October 1997-1999, 30 September 2000-2005, HCHS Medical and Dental data as at 30 September each year, Non-Medical data as at 30 Source: The Information Centre for health and social care medical and dental workforce census The Information Centre for health and social care general and personal medical services statistics The Information Centre for health and social care non-medical workforce census | |||
Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many alcohol related crimes have (a) been reported and (b) resulted in convictions in Humberside Police Authority area in each of the last nine years; and if he will make a statement. [86908]
Mr. McNulty: From the information collected centrally, it is not possible to identify those offences which are alcohol-related. Such offences are not specifically defined by statute and details of the individual circumstances of offences do not feature in either the recorded crime or court proceedings data series.
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research his Department has conducted on the level of anti-social behaviour in local authority areas (a) in England and (b) in Wales. [77788]
John Reid: The following research covers some rather than all local authorities:
A survey of perceptions of antisocial behaviour in 10 trailblazer areas (Birmingham, Brighton and Hove, Bristol, Camden, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield, Sunderland and Westminster);
A survey of the use of powers to tackle antisocial behaviour among Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership areas; and
The Anti-Social behaviour Unit (ASBU) One Day Count of antisocial behaviour which collected data on all reports of antisocial behaviour made to a range of agencies in September 2003.
www.crimereduction.gov.uk
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what assessment is made of the effectiveness of measures taken to tackle antisocial behaviour in the Vale of Clwyd; [86985]
Mr. McNulty: Although the data is not available in the form requested, we know that there has been a huge response both from practitioners (such as local authorities and the police) and from local communities in taking a stand to tackle antisocial behaviour. The tools and powers we have provided since 1997 are being used widely and wisely.
| Intervention | 1 October 2003 to 30 September 2004 | 1 October 2004 to 30 September 2005 |
| (1)This
is for the period 20 January 2004 to 30 September 2004. The crack house
closure power was introduced in the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 and
came into force on 20 January
2004. | ||
Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many acceptable behaviour contracts have been issued in West Lancashire; and if he will make a statement. [83657]
Mr. McNulty: The data is not available in the form requested. However, for the last two years the Home Office Anti-social Behaviour Unit has carried out a survey of Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships in England and Community safety Partnerships in Wales asking about their actions taken to tackle antisocial behaviour. From those who responded to the surveys the results are as follows.
Acceptable Behaviour Contracts 1 October 2003 to 30 September 2004—5,094
Acceptable Behaviour Contracts 1 October 2004 to 30 September 2005—8,654
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the recidivism rate of individuals who have received an antisocial behaviour order; and what steps he is taking to reduce the recidivism rate. [86421]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The information requested is not available.
Lynne
Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State
for the Home Department how many incidents of robbery
of a premises with a firearm occurred in each London borough in each of
the last five years.
[86531]
Mr. McNulty: The information requested cannot be provided at a borough level.
| Table A: Offences of robbery recorded by City of London and Metropolitan police in which firearms were reported to have been used by location of offence,2000-01 to 2001-02 | ||
| 2000-01 | 2001-02( 1) | |
| (1
)Figures may have been inflated by some police forces implementing
the principles of the National Crime Recording Standard before 1 April
2002. (2 )These crimes are mostly burglaries where
firearms have been used immediately before, or at the time of stealing
items from a residential property, and in order to steal these items.
If firearms are used in a get-away, then it is classed as a burglary
and will not be included
here. | ||
| Table B: Offences of robbery recorded by City of London and Metropolitan police in which firearms were reported to have been used by location of offence,2002-03 to 2004-05 | |||
| 2002-03( 1) | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | |
| (1
)Figures may have been inflated by some police forces implementing
the principles of the National Crime Recording Standard before 1 April
2002. Figures for some crime categories may have been inflated by
this. (2 )These crimes are mostly burglaries where
firearms have been used immediately before, or at the time of stealing
items from a residential property, and in order to steal these items.
If firearms are used in a get-away, then it is classed as a burglary
and will not be included
here. | |||
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many toilets are provided in the temporary accommodation for visitors to Chelmsford Prison; and how many are connected to the main sewers. [86954]
Mr. Sutcliffe: There are two toilets available in the temporary accommodation for visitors to Chelmsford Prison. One can be used by both able-bodied visitors and those with a disability. The second toilet provides a baby changing facility. Both are connected to the main sewers.
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people each week visited prisoners at Chelmsford Prison on average in the last 12 months; and how many he estimates were children aged (a) up to five, (b) six to 11 and (c) 12 to 16. [86955]
Mr. Sutcliffe: Over the past 12 months there has been an average of 533 visitors per week at Chelmsford. Of these an average of 39 were under five years of age, 15 were aged between six-11 years and 10 were aged between 12-16 years.
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State forthe Home Department when the temporary accommodation for visitors to Chelmsford Prison was installed; and for how long it was expected to last. [86958]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The first portacabin was installed seven years ago and the second three years ago to accommodate increasing numbers of visitors. The portacabins were always intended to provide a long term facility.
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to provide permanent facilities for visitors to Chelmsford Prison; and if he will make a statement. [86959]
Mr. Sutcliffe: As part of a larger £36 million development, a new purpose-built facility is currently under construction and should be available from December 2006.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many safe beds are available for child prisoners. [86240]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The term “safe beds” is not used in the young people’s estate, but there are several design specifications that make rooms safer in terms of protecting young people from self-harm. The different specifications reflect improvements in design over time. Information on the number of rooms of the different safer specifications is not held centrally.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the rollout of the TETRA mast network; and what plans the Government has to ensure inter-operability and improve communications between the police and the other emergency services. [86846]
Mr.
McNulty: Airwave is the new radio communications system
for the police service in England, Wales and Scotland. The rollout of
the TETRA mast network is the responsibility of O2 Airwave who own the
network. The network is already in place. Officers across the country
using the network
are able to communicate directly with each other, regardless of
location. The other emergency services are currently updating their
radio communications networks on a national basis and will also be
using the Airwave service. When their new systems are fully operational
their communications systems will interoperate seamlessly with the
police network. Existing interoperability arrangements on the old
radios used by the services will be maintained until the new systems
are fully
operational.
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of community punishments in each region were completed in each year since 2001; in how many cases a period of imprisonment was then imposed for the original offence; and if he will make a statement. [86951]
Mr. Sutcliffe: Information for England and Wales on the completion rates the main types of community sentence, for each year since 1994, can be found in Table 5.1 of the Home Office Statistical Bulletin: Offender Management Caseload Statistics 2004, a copy of which can be found in the House of Commons Library. Information on the numbers and percentages of those given immediate custody for breach of the main types of community sentence can be found in Table 5.5 of the same publication. Provisional data on completion rates in 2005 has been published in the latest Offender Management Caseload Quarterly Brief (October to December 2005) which is available on the Home Office website. The reliability of this data at the regional level is not sufficiently robust for publication.
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police community support officers are in training; what the cost is per person for such training; and if he will make a statement. [86313]
Mr. McNulty: The information requested is not collected centrally.
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police community support officers are employed in Lancashire. [88269]
Mr. McNulty: At the end of September 2005 Lancashire constabulary had 159 police community support officers (PCSOs). With the additional funding we are providing in 2006-07 Lancashire has a target to reach a total of 417 PCSOs by April 2007.
Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police community support officers were in training in Humberside Police Authority area on the last date for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [86905]
Mr. McNulty: Humberside Police are currently in the process of training 34 police community support officers (PCSOs). They expect to train 195 during 2006-07.
Mr. Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration he has given to a re-assignment of the duties of the inspectorate responsible for controlled drugs; and if he will make a statement. [87264]
Mr. Coaker: The Home Office continues to examine ways of improving and streamlining existing Home Office licensing and inspection activities but no final decisions have yet been made.
Mr.
Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State
for the Home Department when he will reply to the hon.
Member for North-West Norfolk’s correspondence of 30 January
regarding the handling of complaints by the Prison Service about prison
governors.
[66562]
Mr. Sutcliffe: I met with the hon. Gentleman on 12 July to discuss the various issues raised in his correspondence. I will write to him shortly to cover a range of related matters.
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average Band D police precept on council tax was in each year since 1997-98 in (a) England, (b) Wales and (c) England and Wales. [66294]
Mr. McNulty: The information is set out in the following table:
| Average Band D council tax of police authorities for England and Wales in real terms at 2004-05 prices | ||||||||||
| £ | ||||||||||
| 1997-98 | 1998-99 | 1999-00 | 2000-01 | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | |
| (1)
Real Term values calculated using Treasury GDP deflators as at March
2006 Notes: England figures exclude the City of London Source: Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and National Assembly for Wales | ||||||||||
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) males and (b) females were sent to prison for non-payment of council tax in each year since 1993, broken down by age group. [83786]
Mr. Sutcliffe: Information on number of prisoners received into prison under non-criminal categories of imprisonment is to be found in table 7.10 of Offender Management Caseload Statistics 2004. This is a web-only table and can be found at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/omcs.html
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will extend the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme to British victims of terrorist attacks abroad. [83284]
Mr. Sutcliffe: We have no plans to extend the scope of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme to cover injuries sustained abroad. However, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport are developing proposals for establishing a charitable fund to help victims of terrorist attacks overseas, and hope to be able to announce further details in the coming months.
| Number of offenders found guilty at all courts for offences relating to drunkenness in Suffolk police force area( 1,2 ) 1997 to 2004 | |
| Offence description — drunkenness with aggravation( 3) | |
| (1)
These data are on the principal offence basis. (2)
Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate
and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have
been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the
courts, and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to
ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are
taken into account when those data are used. (3
)Includes the offence of “drunk and disorderly”
(Criminal Justice Act 1967 sec. 91) and other miscellaneous offences of
drunkenness with aggravations. Source: Office
for Criminal Justice
Reform | |
Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what average period elapsed between sentencing and tariff setting in each year since 1997. [86054]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The information requested is notheld centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what percentage of children and young adults (a) on remand and (b) after conviction have been placed in custody more than 100 miles from their home. [86205]
Mr. Sutcliffe: In October 2005, the latest date for which figures are available, 40 young people under 18 and 49 18 to 20-year-olds were placed on remand or committal for sentence more than 100 miles from home. Expressed as a percentage, 7.7 per cent. of unconvicted under-18-year-olds and 4.1 per cent. of unconvicted 18 to 20-year-olds were placed more than 100 miles from home.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number and percentage of children and young adults with a mental illness while in custody in (a) 1985, (b) 1995 and (c) 2005. [86224]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The information is not available in the form requested. A survey of psychiatric morbidity among prisoners in England and Wales in 1997, by the Office for National Statistics, examined for five types of mental disorder: personality disorder; psychosis; neurotic disorder; drug dependence; and hazardous drinking. A copy is available in the Library.
Psychiatric Morbidity Amongst Prisoners in England and Wales (ONS, 1998)
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidents of self-harm and abuse of children and young adults in custody have been recorded (a) in the past 12 months and (b) since 2000, broken down by sex of victim. [86243]
Mr.
Sutcliffe: The information available centrally is
incomplete and could be misleading, because different categories of
secure establishment have used different counting methods. The Youth
Justice Board is currently working with the Prison Service, operators
of
secure training centres and secure children's homes to agree common
recording standards and reporting practices for statistical data. We
believe this will both improve the quality and increase the range of
available aggregated information about young people in
custody.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children and young adults are in custody, broken down by (a) ethnic origin and (b) religious belief. [86249]
Mr. Sutcliffe: Information on (a) the ethnic origin and (b) the religious beliefs of the population in prison establishments in England and Wales by age group is given in the web-only tables 8.30 and 8.33 of Offender Management Caseload Statistics 2004, available at the following web address.
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs05/hosb1705section8.xls
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what draft Bills have been produced by his Department since October 2005; how many were (a) examined and (b) are planned to be examined by (i) a departmental Select Committee and (ii) a Joint Committee; what draft Bills are still to be produced by his Department; when each is expected to be published; how many clauses each has; and if he will make a statement. [81311]
Mr. McNulty: Since October 2005, no draft Bills have been produced by the Home Office.
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when his Department's War Room was established; how many officials are allocated to it, broken down by grade; what its (a) objectives and (b) purposes are; and if he will make a statement. [81584]
Mr. Byrne: The composition of the team working on the Home Office and the Immigration Nationality Directorate reviews has varied in number and skills week by week as the project moved through phases of work.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the occupancy rate was for each (a) prison, (b) young offenders institution, (c) secure training centre and (d) local authority secure unit in each of the past 20 years. [86248]
Mr. Sutcliffe: Information on the occupancy rate of all prison establishments (including young offender institutions) in England and Wales between 1992 and 2006 can be found in monthly tables held by the House of Commons Library Statistical Resource Unit. Equivalent information for 1986 to 1992 cannot be provided without disproportionate cost.
| Secure children’s homes: occupancy rate at 31 March 1998 | |
| Percentage | |
| Source: Department for Education and Skills | |
| Secure children’s homes: occupancy rate at 31 March 1999 | |
| Percentage | |
| Source: Department for Education and Skills | |
| Secure children’s homes: occupancy rate at 31 March 2000 | |
| Percentage | |
| Source: Department for Education and Skills | |
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 29 March 2006, Official Report, column 1035W, on dispersal orders, if he will make it his policy to collect information centrally on the number of dispersal orders authorised. [72665]
Mr. McNulty: We have been collecting the number of authorisations for dispersal powers by police force area since April 2006. This data will be collected on a quarterly basis. Data will be published later this year.
Mr. Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Lynne Featherstone), of 5 June 2006, Official Report, columns 293-4W, on the DNA database, if he will break the figures down by country making the request. [86494]
Joan Ryan: The majority of requests for the exchange of DNA information between the United Kingdom and other countries are routed through the United Kingdom National Central Bureau for Interpol (UK NCB) based at the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA). Other channels may include bi-lateral direct liaison between law enforcement authorities; and formal mutual legal assistance channels. Exchanges of DNA information via these channels will almost always be a response to the needs of a specific criminal investigation.
Mr. Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 2 May 2006, Official Report, column 1409W, on the DNA database, if he will place in the Library the data on use of DNA for crime detection in 2005-06. [86496]
Joan Ryan: Data provided to the Home Office by police forces indicates that there were 20,349 direct DNA detections in 2005-06 i.e. there were 20,349 crimes detected in which a DNA match report was available. In addition, a further 19,960 crimes were detected in 2005-06 as a result of further investigations linked to the original case in which DNA was recovered. This gives a total of 40,309 detections in 2005-06 arising directly or indirectly from the DNA match, compared with 35,605 detections in 2004-05.
Mr. Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) arrests and (b) convictions for drink-driving resulted in custodial sentences in each year since 1997, broken down by police authority. [84913]
Mr. McNulty: The information requested on arrests is not collected centrally. Information taken from the Court Proceedings Database held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform on convictions and custodial sentences for drink-driving offences by police force area 1997 to 2004 (latest available) is given in the table.
Data for 2005 will be available early in 2007.
| Findings of guilt and immediate custodial sentences at all courts for offences of driving etc. after consuming alcohol or taking drugs by police force area, England and Wales 1997-2004 | ||||||
| Number of offences | ||||||
| 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | ||||
| Findings of guilt | Immediate custody( 1) | Findings of guilt | Immediate custody( 1) | Findings of guilt | Immediate custody( 1) | |
| Number of offences | ||||||
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | ||||
| Findings of guilt | Immediate custody( 1) | Findings of guilt | Immediate custody( 1) | Findings of guilt | Immediate custody( 1) | |
| Number of offences | ||||
| 2003 | 2004 | |||
| Findings of guilt | Immediate custody( 1) | Findings of guilt | Immediate custody( 1) | |
| n/a
= not available (1) Immediate custody includes
sentences of Secure Training Order, Detention and Training Order, Young
Offender Institution and Unsuspended sentence of
imprisonment. (2) Staffordshire police force were
only able to submit sample data for persons proceeded against and
convicted in the magistrates courts for the year 2000. Although
sufficient to estimate higher orders of data, these data are not robust
enough at detailed level and have been excluded from the
table. Note: Every effort is made
to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete.
However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted
from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and
police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data
collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into
account when those data are
used. | ||||
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of drivers convicted of drink driving (a) received a fine, (b) received a jail sentence and (c) were banned from driving in the last year for which figures areavailable. [85897]
Mr. Sutcliffe: Information taken from theCourt Proceedings Database held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform is given in the table for 2004 (latest available). Data for 2005 will be available earlyin 2007.
| Findings of guilt at all courts and sentence and order imposed for the offences of ‘driving etc after consuming alcohol or taking drugs’( 1) , England and Wales, 2004 | ||
| Number of offences | ||
| Number | Percentage | |
| (1)
Offences under Road Traffic Act 1988 s4(1) and (2), 5(1a) and (b),
6(4), 7(6), and s7A as added by Police Reform Act 2002
s56. (2) Immediate custody = detention and training
order, young offender institution and unsuspended sentence of
imprisonment. (3) Secondary
disposal. Note: Every effort is made to ensure
that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is
important to note that these data have been extracted from large
administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces.
As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection
processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when
these data are
used. | ||
Sir Peter Soulsby: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convictions there have been for drug offences in Leicester South constituency in each of the last three years for which figures are available, broken down by local authority ward. [86370]
Mr. McNulty: Drug offence data cannot be broken down by constituency or to a more local level. Available data relate to persons found guilty of drug offences at Leicester's crown, magistrate and youth courts and are given in the following table.
| Persons( 1) found guilty of drug offences in Leicester, 2002 to 2004 | |
| Number | |
| (1)
Where a person is found guilty of two or more drugs offences at the
same court appearance the sentence or order shown in this table is the
most severe
penalty. | |
Mr. Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the reasons are for the differences between figures given in the England and Wales Findings Paper 265 and the latest Home Office Drug Seizures and Offenders Statistical bulletin in relation to seizures of methadone in 2000 and cocaine and heroin in 2001. [67894]
Mr. Coaker: After a very thorough review of data, I can confirm that the figures quoted in “Seizures of Drugs in England and Wales 2003” (Findings 265) for the number of seizures of methadone in 2000 (1,010) and both number/quantity of seizures of cocaine (6,530/5,210 kg) and heroin (14,630/4,000 kg) in 2001 are correct.
Mr. Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times prosecutions have been brought by North Tyneside local education authority under section 7 of the Education Act 1996 in each of the last five years. [85376]
Mr. Sutcliffe [holding answer 14 July 2006]: Prosecutions for truancy related to section seven are brought under section 444 of the Education Act 1996.
Court proceedings data for 2005 will be available in autumn of 2006.
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people in England and Wales are electronically tagged; and how many are (a) on the Home Detention Curfew Scheme and (b) under a curfew order passed down by the courts. [75702]
Mr. Sutcliffe: According to the latest figures available, the total number of people who are subject to electronic monitoring in England and Wales is as shown in the table.
| Number | |
Mr. Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to satisfy himself that the (a) Governor and (b) management team at Feltham Young Offender Institution are able to carry out the recommendations of the Mubarek Report. [84403]
Mr. Sutcliffe: Mr. Justice Keith’s report into the death of Zahid Mubarek contains recommendationsto be implemented by the National Offender Management Service, Court Service, Department of Health, Department for Communities and Local Government and the police.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) prosecutions and (b) fixed penalty notices were issued to drivers of commercial vehicles in each London borough in the last year for which figures are available. [87378]
Mr. Sutcliffe: Information collected centrally by my department on motoring offences does not distinguish between the characteristics of the vehicles involved.
Mr. Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many foreign national prisoners have claimed to be from (a) Russia, (b) Romania, (c) Georgia, (d) Armenia, (e) Azerbaijan, (f) Ukraine, (g) China, (h) Belarus, (i) Iceland, (j) the United States, (k) Canada, (l) Antarctica, (m) Argentina, (n) Chile, (o) Peru, (p) Ecuador, (q) Bolivia, (r) Brazil, (s) Uruguay, (t), Paraguay, (u) Angola, (v) Namibia, (w) Botswana, (x) Zambia, (y) Burundi, (z) Tanzania and (aa) Malawi (i) on being sentenced to a custodial sentence and (ii) on arrival in custody in each of the last nine years for which figures are available. [82237]
Mr. Sutcliffe: Information on the number of foreign nationals who have claimed to be from the countries listed at (a)-(aa) (i) on being sentenced to a custodial sentence, and (ii) on arrival in custody in each of the last nine years is not held centrally.
1997-2002: Table 6.2 of Prison Statistics England and Wales 1997 to 2002, available from the House of Commons Library.
2003: Table 8.27 of the web tables for Offender Management Caseload Statistics 2003.
2004: Table 8.27 of the web tables for Offender Management Caseload Statistics 2004.
2005: Detailed web table 2.14 of Population in Custody Quarterly Brief April to June 2005.
These web tables are available at the following web address.
Information is not presented separately for the following nationalities:-
Antarctica—this is not a recognised nationality and any such records are included in unrecorded/other in the statistical tables;
Ukraine and Belarus are not recorded separately on the current prison IT systems and are included in Russia;
Dr. Vis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many foreign national prisoners in each open prison were moved into closed prisons in (a) May and (b) June. [86629]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The information is not available in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what account the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) will take of the National Fraud Strategy in planning its work; and whether SOCA will have specific targets for the prevention and reduction of fraud. [75258]
Mr. Coaker: We need to have a coherent strategy for preventing, detecting and bringing fraud to justice that meets our current need; this issue has been considered by the wide ranging cross Government Review of Fraud. The Home Secretary’s letter setting priorities for the Serious Organised Crime Agency in its first three years of operation has been laid before Parliament. The priorities set out there include tackling organised crime threats from fraud against individuals and the private sector. The SOCA Board has subsequently determined that approximately 10 per cent. of its overall effort should be devoted to this area.
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the (a) reliability and (b) usefulness of headcam technology in tackling crime; if he will make resources available to make this technology more widely available to the police; and if he will make a statement. [86256]
Mr. McNulty [holding answer 19 July 2006]: The potential for this technology to assist in tackling crime is recognised. The Police Standards Unit, supported by the Home Office Scientific Development Branch and the Police Information Technology Organisation is consequently organising and funding a six-month trial to evaluate reliability, usefulness and other aspects. The trial is planned to commence on 1 September 2006 in conjunction with Devon and Cornwall constabulary, with the intention of establishing good practice and procedure by the end of the year.
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Government’s policy on reducing the supply of heroin and cocaine was informed by the Strategy Unit Phase one Drugs Report of 2003; and if he will make a statement. [85575]
Mr. Coaker: The report was submitted as a contribution to a debate across Government on drug strategy, and influenced the revised supply side strategy, adopted in 2004, which has as its objective the reduction of the harms caused by drug supply to UK communities.
Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from (a) the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and (b) the security services on the proscription of Hizb-Ut-Tahrir; and if he will make a statement. [69261]
Mr. McNulty: We do not comment on individual groups that may be possible candidates for proscription.
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what training is provided by HM Prison Service to governor grade staff on authorising release of prisoners (a) under the Criminal Justice Acts, (b) on temporary licence and (c) on home detention curfew; and whether this training is mandatory. [85480]
Mr.
Sutcliffe: For the information about training provided by
the Prison Service to governor gradestaff, I refer the hon.
Member to the answer given on
5 June 2006, Official Report, column 295W. Since February 2003 no
training has been described as mandatory: training is provided when
necessary to enable an individual to fulfil a
role.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of honour crimes committed in each London borough in each of the last five years. [83679]
Mr. McNulty: Estimates on the number of honour crimes are not available from the recorded crime statistics.
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are being taken by his Department to raise awareness of human trafficking amongst the clients of prostitutes. [81612]
Mr. Coaker: On 5 January 2006, the Home Office launched a three month national consultation exercise on proposals for a UK action plan on human trafficking. A summary of responses report was published on 21 June. A number of respondents commented on the issue of raising awareness amongst those who pay for sexual services of the consequences of having sexual intercourse with a trafficked person. We intend to consider the consultation responses over the next few months with the aim of producing a final UK Action Plan by the end of the year.
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of raising awareness of human trafficking amongst the clients of prostitutes. [81613]
Mr.
Coaker: The recent consultation exercise on proposals for
the UK Action Plan included questions on how to reduce demand for the
services of trafficked persons. As part of the development of the final
UK Action Plan consideration will be given to how awareness campaigns
can be monitored for their effectiveness. During the course of
Operation Pentameter internet websites for users of prostitutes were
monitored. The monitoring demonstrated that
there was an increased awareness of the issue as a direct result of the
activity undertaken by Operation
Pentameter.
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) police and (b) government officials have been seconded to the source countries of victims of human trafficking to discuss and implement prevention strategies in the last five years; and how many reciprocated secondments of staff there have been from those countries. [82668]
Mr. Coaker: It would not be appropriate to comment on the operational deployment of law enforcement staff involved in the prevention of serious organised crime.
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what recent meetings he has had with other members of the Government to discuss tackling identity fraud; [86649]
Joan Ryan: Work on identity fraud reduction is led by the Identity Fraud Steering Committee (IFSC) and supported by the Identity Fraud Forum (IFF). The IFSC and IFF members come from the police, academia, the private sector and Government Departments. The IFSC and the IFF meet regularly to take forward the Government’s work on reducing identity fraud, and to co-ordinate this activity across all sectors. A number of sub-groups meets on a regular basis to identify, scope and prioritise opportunities to reduce identity fraud.
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action has been taken by his Department to tackle identity fraud since July 2005; and what action is planned between July 2006 andJuly 2007. [86653]
Joan Ryan: The Identity Fraud Steering Committee (IFSC) was established in 2003 to lead a cross public/private sector work programme to tackle identity fraud and there has been a great deal of activity to reduce identity fraud in the last year.
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how much his Department spent on tackling identity fraud through public awareness campaigns in 1997 in each (a) year since and (b) month since July 2005; [86654]
(2) what advice his Department has issued to the public on steps to combat identity fraud. [86651]
Joan Ryan: The Home Office became responsible for identity fraud in 2003 following the Cabinet Office report Identity Fraud: A Study, published in 2002. We established the Identity Fraud Steering Committee (IFSC) to lead a public-private sector work programme to tackle identity fraud. The IFSC set up a website www.identitytheft.org.uk which explains to the public how to keep personal information safe, how to get help if one is the victim of identity theft, and what is being done to tackle this growing crime. The website was set up and is maintained without Government funding.
Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people in Humberside police authority area were (a) charged with and (b) victims of identity fraud in each of the last nine years; and if he will make a statement. [86907]
Joan Ryan: The Government take the problem of identity fraud very seriously. There is no single offence of identity fraud. On seven June 2006 we brought into force sections 25 and 26 of the Identity Cards Act 2006 which created new criminal offences of being in possession or control of false identity documents. These offences relate to a wide range of identity documents, including passports, driving licences, ID cards and immigration documents. The maximum penalty is 10 years imprisonment for an offence of possession with intent to use the document for establishing registrable facts about another person, such as name, address, date of birth and other personal details, and two years imprisonment for possession without reasonable excuse. Investigation of offences under these provisions is already under way and statistics on the number of prosecutions and convictions will be published in due course.
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Immigration and Nationality Directorate officials failed security checks subsequent to their first day of employment in the Directorate in each year since 1997. [73692]
John Reid: It is not possible to provide this information in the form requested.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Government expects to conclude its review of the use of intercept evidence in court; and if he will make a statement. [86805]
Mr. McNulty: As my right hon. Friend, the Home Secretary, told the House on 11 July 2006, Official Report, column 1312, further Home Office-led work on possible legal models for evidential use of intercept will report to Ministers in November.
Mr. David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether there is a permanent police presence at John Lennon International Airport, Liverpool. [69433]
Mr. McNulty: John Lennon International Airport is not designated for policing purposes under the Aviation Security Act 1982. There is therefore no statutory requirement for the Chief Constable of Merseyside police to provide a permanent police presence. The level and nature of the policing resource at the airport is at the discretion of the Chief Constable.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of vulnerable and at-risk children and young adults in (a) young offender institutions, (b) secure training centres and (c) local authority secure units. [86277]
Mr. Sutcliffe: An initial assessment of vulnerability of under-18 offenders is carried out, before sentence, by the youth offending team . Figures provided by the Youth Justice Board show that during the period April 2004 to March 2005 the number of young people who were assessed as vulnerable in this way and subsequently placed in a young offender institution was 3,370. All young people placed in a secure training centre or a secure children's home are considered vulnerable, either on account of their age or because of other risk factors.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department where each local authority secure unit is located; and how many places are available in each. [86278]
| Places approved at 31 March 2005 by individual secure children's home—England and Wales | ||
| Name of secure children’s home | Location | Number of places approved |
| Notes: 1. Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 5. 2. Numbers
between 1 and 4 are shown as a dash. 3. Redbank includes three
units: Newton House, Vardy House and Willows House. 4. At
March 2005 all homes were LA managed apart from St. Catherines which
was managed by a voluntary provider. 5. Orchard Lodge
transferred to an independent provider in March 2006. 6. The
figures are from the 2004-05 DfES annual survey of secure children's
homes
(SA1). | ||
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many motorists have been caught speeding in the roadworks on the slip road of junction seven of the M56 since 2001; and what total amount of fines they have paid. [84884]
Mr. Sutcliffe: Information on speeding fines paid in respect of offences at specific locations is not held centrally.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures are taken by the Prison Service to liaise with mental health authorities to ensure continuity of care and post-release treatment for former prisoners with mental illnesses. [86232]
Mr. Sutcliffe: Offenders with identified mental health problems are subject to the Care Programme Approach (CPA) during their stay in prison and on release. CPA enables the planning of treatment and continuity of mental health care for the individual. It is supported in prisons through NHS mental health teams, comprising over 360 staff in England. This means that on release from prison offenders needing CPA should have a care plan and, pre-release, the prison mental health in-reach team inform and share information with the individual’s local GP.
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the five most common driving offences were for which (a) men and (b) women were (i) prosecuted and (ii) convicted in each constituency in England in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [85518]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The information required is not available centrally at constituency level.
Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convicted murderers have been sentenced since the implementation of the Criminal Justice Act 2003. [86052]
Mr. Sutcliffe: Section 269 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 which relates to the determination of a minimum term in relation to mandatory life sentences came into force on 18 December 2003, and figures reported to the Home Office show that 371 persons were sentenced for murder between that date and 31 December 2004, the latest date for which sentencing information is currently available.
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the total value was of assets seized under Operation Pentameter. [82666]
Mr. Coaker: At present it is not possible to provide total values, since operations are still ongoing. The confirmed cash seized to date totals around £200,000.
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many drivers of heavy goods vehicles from overseas have (a) committed and (b) been prosecuted for traffic offences on British roads in each of the last three years. [86121]
Mr. Sutcliffe: Information is not collected centrally on offending drivers of foreign registered vehicles who breach road traffic regulations.
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to foster partnership working. [74611]
Mr. McNulty: Partnership working is central to the delivery of Home Office business. The National Community Safety Plan provides a clear statement of community safety priorities for local partners. Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs) are well established as the primary local delivery vehicle for community safety work. Earlier this year, the Government published a review of CDRPs, with the aim of further improving their effectiveness and strengthening their accountability to the communities they serve. Partnership working is also at the heartof neighbourhood policing. As part of the neighbourhood policing initiative the police will work with local partners and communities to tackle local priority issues. At the national level, the Home Office is working with stakeholders to ensure that neighbourhood policing is integrated into the wider community safety agenda.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many placements are provided for vulnerable and at risk children and young adults by the (a) private and (b) public sector. [86242]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The Youth Justice Board commissions 2,844 places for boys in 13 young offender institutions and 75 places for girls in four special units. It also commissions 274 places in secure training centres and 235 in secure children’s homes. Younger and more vulnerable sentenced young people and those subject to court-ordered secure remands are placed into secure training centres or secure children’s homes. All of the secure training centre places are provided by the private sector and all but one of the secure children’s homes are in the public sector. Eleven of the 13 young offender institutions for boys and all four special units for girls are in the public sector. There are two privately run young offender institutions.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the ratio of police to public was in (a) Southend and (b) each police force in(i) 1979, (ii) 1983, (iii) 1987, (iv) 1992, (v) each year from 1993 to 2004 and (vi) the last period for which figures are available. [70152]
Mr. McNulty [holding answer 22 May 2006]: The information that is available for the ratio of police to 100,000 population for each police force area is provided in the table.
| Police officer strength( 1) per 100,000 population( 2) , by police force area( 3) in each year from 1998 to 2005 | ||||||||
| Year ending 31 March: | ||||||||
| Police force area | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 |
| (1)
The table contains calculations based on full-time equivalent figures
for police officers which have been rounded to the nearest whole
number. Due to rounding there may be an apparent discrepancy between
totals and the sums of constituent items in these and similar tables.
The police officer strength figures used to calculate the number of
police officers per 100,000 population for the years 1998 to 2002
excludes those officers on career breaks or maternity/paternity leave.
Figures from 2003 includes those police officers on career breaks or
maternity/paternity leave. Therefore figures prior to 2003 are not
comparable with figures for 2003 onwards. (2)
Officers per 100,000 population for City of London and Metropolitan
police are combined. (3) Boundary changes on 1 April
2000 transferred some resources from the Metropolitan police to Essex,
Hertfordshire and Surrey police forces. Therefore police to population
ratios for these forces are not directly comparable for each of the
years provided in the
table. | ||||||||
Mr. Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times the cross-government working group examining the transitional and ongoing financial arrangements for restructured police forces has met since January. [82366]
Mr. McNulty [holding answer 4 July 2006]: The finance working group met on 12 January, 10 February and 27 April.
Mr. Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress he has made in determining the changes required to the police precept following the creation of a single strategic force for Wales. [82369]
Mr. McNulty [holding answer 4 July 2006]: There are no current plans to proceed with the enforced mergers of the four Welsh forces.
Mr. Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department who represents the Welsh Assembly on the cross-government working group which is examining the transitional and ongoing financial arrangements for restructured police forces. [82574]
Mr. McNulty [holding answer 4 July 2006]: The head of local government finance at the Welsh Assembly Government represents the Welsh Assembly Government on the police restructuring finance working group.
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much central funding has been given to the Shropshire constabulary since 1997. [85483]
Mr. McNulty: Grant is provided to the West Mercia police authority as a whole. Shropshire is one of five administrative policing divisions within the West Mercia police area. It is for the police authority and chief officer to deploy resources in line with local policing plans. I am informed by the chief constable that a significant proportion of the force budget is deployed on a force-wide basis and is not identifiable to individual areas.
Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the requirement to form specialist anti-terror units within Devon and Cornwall constabulary continues to apply following recent restructuring decisions. [86033]
Mr. McNulty [holding answer 17 July 2006]: The chief constable is responsible for operational policing matters in Devon and Cornwall constabulary. No requirement to form specialist anti-terrorist units within Devon and Cornwall constabulary was identified prior to or following the recent police restructuring decisions.
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will meet the chief constable and acting chief constable of Cumbria and Lancashire and the chairs of their respective police authorities to discuss his proposals for merger of the forces. [86697]
Mr. McNulty [holding answer 20 July 2006]: I have met the chief constable and acting chief constable of Cumbria and Lancashire constabularies and representatives of their police authorities to discuss the proposed merger of the two forces on a number of occasions, most recently on 10 July.
Mrs.
Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for
the Home Department who the Minister for Policing,
Security and Community Safety in his Department plans to meet in
connection with the police mergers in Wales over the next three months;
and what the dates are of those meetings which have been arranged.
[86880]
Mr. McNulty: Over the last two months I have held meetings and discussions with the four chief constables of Welsh forces, the four chairs of Welsh police authorities, the Minister for Social Justice and Regeneration, Edwina Hart AM, members of the Welsh Assembly's Social, Justice and Regeneration Committee, my right hon. friend the Secretary of State for Wales and his Minister my hon. Friend the member for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, the Welsh Group of Labour MPs, North Wales Labour MPs and the Welsh Local Government Association. I will hold further meetings as appropriate but no dates have yet been fixed.
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has (a) to reduce the requirement on police officers to fill in forms and carry out other administrative tasks and (b) to establish increased clerical support for such tasks. [83674]
Mr. McNulty: We have already made good progress on reducing the bureaucratic burdens on police officers by cutting nearly 9,000 unnecessary forms; civilianising posts; rolling out the penalty notice for disorder scheme; and ensuring that forces have the best scientific and technological support like video identity parades and electronic fingerprinting.
| Percentage of population in prison establishments( 1) in England and Wales from a minority ethnic group( 2) by establishment | ||
| Prison Establishment | 30 June 2005 | 31 May 2006 |
| (1)
Percentages are calculated as proportion of prisoners recorded as BME
against total prisoners. (2) Ethnicity is recorded on
the basis of voluntary
self-declaration | ||
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the number of tourists to an area is considered in the annual grant calculation for police constabularies. [84737]
Mr. McNulty: No. The police funding formula was reviewed in 2005. It was concluded that data used in the tourism indicator were out of date. The use of more recent information was considered but this was unsatisfactory for inclusion in the new police formula.
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the status is of the proposed merger between the Lancashire and Cumbria constabularies; and if he will make a statement. [85903]
Mr. McNulty [holding answer 17 July 2006]: As my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister, made clear on12 July 2006, Official Report, column 1383, the merger of Lancashire and Cumbria police forces will not be taking place.
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate his Department has made of the cost of amalgamating Cumbria and Lancashire police authorities; and how much will be provided by his Department in the form of Pathfinder support to cover the costs of amalgamation. [82967]
Mr. McNulty [holding answer 4 July 2006]: Cumbria and Lancashire police authorities have withdrawn their agreement to voluntary amalgamation.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State forthe Home Department what role the expected harmonisation of council tax precepts played in the Government’s decision not to proceed with police force mergers. [86845]
Mr. McNulty: The proposed voluntary merger between Cumbria and Lancashire constabularies could not go ahead because it was not possible to resolve all outstanding issues, including harmonisation of the council tax precept, to the satisfaction of the two authorities concerned. They therefore do not wish to proceed with their voluntary merger.
Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of Statefor the Home Department how many police officers in (a) Humberside, (b) North Yorkshire, (c) South Yorkshire and (d) West Yorkshire police authority area were involved in preparation work for the merger of the forces; how many hours of work were devoted to that work; how much the exercise cost; and if he will make a statement. [86906]
Mr. McNulty: This is a matter for the police forces and police authorities concerned and the information is not held centrally.
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to increase funding to police constabularies for more (a) police officers and (b) community support officers on the beat. [88270]
Mr. McNulty: In November last year we announced a two-year funding settlement for police authorities in England and Wales. The increase in 2006-07 enabled a broadly flat-rate increase of 3.1 per cent. for each police authority. A provisional grant increase of 3.6 per cent. was announced for 2007-08. The utilisation of all available resources is a matter for the police authorities and chief officers of police.
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much has been spent already in relation to the proposed mergers between Lancashire and Cumbria police constabularies. [88268]
Mr. McNulty: The costs incurred by Lancashire and Cumbria police forces and police authorities are a matter for the bodies concerned and the information is not held centrally.
Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much has been spent in relation to the proposed merger between the Yorkshire police forces. [88382]
Mr. McNulty: The costs incurred by Yorkshire and Humberside police forces and police authorities are a matter for the bodies concerned and the information is not held centrally.
Lembit Öpik: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much the Government have spent on the planned merger of the four Welsh police forces; and if he will make a statement. [89024]
Mr. McNulty: The costs incurred by the Welsh police forces and police authorities are a matter for the bodies concerned and the information is not held centrally.
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much his Department allocated for the police force restructuring consultation; and if he will make a statement. [89109]
Mr. McNulty: The consultation exercise on police force mergers was part of routine Home Office business and no dedicated funds were set aside for this purpose.
Nick Herbert: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 17 May 2006, Official Report, column 1046W, on the police, what the (a) term and (b) negotiated price over the term is of each contract with the consultants employed by his Department to advise on police force amalgamations. [75222]
Mr. McNulty: The term of work for consultants employed to work on police force restructuring was15 working days (16 January to 6 February). However, the term of work for some consultants exceeded this due to additional days worked. The negotiated price for the consultants varied from firm to firm and the level and specialism of personal within the firm that was employed.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether funding for the proposed single Welsh police force will be equivalent to the combined total of the funding for the four Welsh police constabularies in 2006-07. [78871]
Mr. McNulty: There are no current plans to proceed with the enforced mergers of the four Welsh forces.
Mr. Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment his Department has made of the merits of the use of (a) anaesthetic, (b) malodorant and (c) calmative gases by police and security services. [85404]
John
Reid: The Home Office Scientific Development Branch has
carried out desk-based research into the area of calmatives, including
anaesthetics, and malodorants. It concluded that neither calmatives nor
malodorants currently meet the police requirements. Calmatives carry
additional health risks compared to alternative options and malodorants
do not appear to offer any tactical advantage over existing
incapacitants available to the police. Further research will only be
carried out on either of these areas if there are significant advances
in the available
technology.
Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) police officers and (b) police civilian staff each division of Greater Manchester police has had in each year since 1997. [86707]
Mr. McNulty: The available information is set outin the following table for 2003, 2004 and 2005. Comparable data on police officers and police civilian staff by BCU have only been available since 2003.
Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received in relation to police numbers in Greater Manchester; and if he will make a statement. [86708]
Mr. McNulty: No specific representations have been received in relation to police numbers in Greater Manchester.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many assaults in penal institutions there were for (a) adults, (b) children and young people in each of the last 20 years, broken down into (i) prisoner on prisoner, (ii) staff on prisoner, (iii) prisoner on staff; and what the ratio was of total assaults to the relevant prisoner population in each year. [86245]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The information requested can be provided reliably for only part of the period requested.
| Number of assaults | ||
| Prisoner on prisoner | Prisoner on officer | |
| Notes: These figures are a subset of the total number of assaults recorded in that they contain identified assailants. The recording of assaults on prisoners by staff has been unsynchronised on this system and it is not possible to produce figures that can be substantiated. | ||
| Rates of assault per 1000 | ||
| Prisoner on Prisoner | Prisoner on officer | |
| Notes: Rates are produced for only the more recent accurate assault totals. | ||
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of (a) prisoners, (b) prison officers and (c) prison governors were from non-white ethnic groups in each of the last five years, broken down by (i) prison and (ii) ethnic group; and if he will make a statement. [82936]
Mr.
Sutcliffe: Information on the percentage of minority
ethnic prisoners and prison officer grades and operational managers
(for public sector prison establishments) is provided in the following
table. Information on the ethnic breakdown from prisoners prior to June
2005 is not available on a comparable basis because the new ethnic
categories based on the 2001 Census were introduced into the prison IT
system
in 2003 and information by these new categories was available from the
middle of
2005.
| Number of visitors arrested | Number of prisoners found guilty at adjudication of smuggling rugs through visits | |
| (1)
Figures not
available | ||
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners were released on temporary licence from each prison in the London area in each of the last 24 months; and if he will make a statement. [74012]
Mr. Sutcliffe: Information on the annual numberof releases on temporary licence from prison establishments in England and Wales between 1994 and 2004 is published in table 10.6 of Offender Management Caseload Statistics 2004. The data, which are obtained from the prison IT system, are not shown separately by month and establishment because the numbers are small and the accuracy at this level of detail cannot be guaranteed.
Nick
Herbert: To ask the Secretary of State for
the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 8 June 2006, Official
Report, column 819W, on prisons, what
categories of offences had been committed by each of the 33 foreign
national prisoners who absconded from Ford Prison in 2006; what the
term of the prison sentence was of each; whether the prisoner was
(a) being considered for enforcement proceedings by the
Immigration and Nationality Directorate, (b) going to be
deported and (c) remains at large in each case; and on what date
each escaped.
[77861]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The information requested is notheld centrally and could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
Mr. Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 4 July 2006, Official Report, column 1056W, on prisons, what estimate he has made of the cost of answering the question. [84671]
Mr. Sutcliffe: Just over 3,100 prisoners are currently being held in open prisons. To examine each prisoner's record would result in a resource cost well in excess of the £600 limit that Government Departments are advised is considered disproportionate.
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people in prison (a) have mental health problems, (b) are veterans and (c) are veterans with mental health problems; and if he will make a statement. [84854]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The prevalence of mental health problems among prisoners is considerably higher than for the general population. The most reliable evidence comes from the 1997 ONS study of psychiatric morbidity among prisoners which found that 90 per cent. of prisoners have at least one significant mental health problem, including personality disorder, psychosis, neurosis, alcohol misuse and drug dependence (Singleton et al, 1998).
References:
Singleton, N., Meltzer, R., Gatward, R. with Coid. J., Deasy, D (1998).
Psychiatric morbidity among Prisoners in England and Wales.
Office for National Statistics.
Dandeker, C., Wessely, S., Iverson, A. and Ross, J. (2003).
Improving the Delivery of Cross Departmental Support and Services for Veterans.
A joint report of The Department of War Studies and the Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London (KCL). Available on line:
http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/CorporatePublications/Reports/ReportsForVeterans/ImprovingTheDeliveryOfCrossDepartmentalSupportAndServicesForVeterans.htm.
Mr.
Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the
Home Department what the (a) rules, (b) instructions
and (c) administrative practice are within the Prison Service
governing the use of (i) handcuffs and (ii) other physical constraints
on pregnant women attending maternity and other appointments in
hospitals outside prison; and if he will make a statement.
[85570]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The policy on the use of mechanical restraints is contained in the Prison Service’s national security framework. Any use of restraints is based upon a thorough security risk assessment of the individual prisoner and this includes pregnant women. Where a need to use restraints is identified, the general expectation is that the restraints will be removed upon arrival at the hospital and not re-applied until the prisoner is ready to be returned to prison.
Mr. Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of intensive treatment programmes for prisoners with moderate to severe drug misuse problems and related offending behaviour in the West Midlands. [85589]
Mr. Sutcliffe: Seven intensive drug treatment programmes for prisoners are delivered in the West Midlands area. Research shows that intensive drug treatment programmes can reduce re-offending by 10-15 per cent. below predicted levels, where effective aftercare arrangements are made.
Mr. Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the availability of class A drugs in prison establishments; and what action he is taking to reduce the availability of drugs in prisons. [85591]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The best measure of drug misuse in prisons is provided by the random mandatory drug testing programme. The percentage positive rate for Class A drugs in 2005-06 was 4 per cent.
Mr. Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions there have been for supplying illegal drugs in prisons in the West Midlands in each year since 1998. [85592]
Mr. Sutcliffe: Decisions to prosecute are taken bythe Crown Prosecution Service and the number of prosecutions undertaken is not collated by NOMS. The number of visitors arrested on suspicion of supplying drugs and the number of prisoners found guilty at adjudication of offences involving drug smuggling through visits in prisons in the West Midlands is given in the following table.
| Number | ||
| Visitors arrested | Prisoners found guilty at adjudication of smuggling drugs through visits | |
| (1)
Figures not
available. | ||
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 13 July 2006, Official Report, column 2031W, on prisons, what estimate he has made of the cost of seeking the information necessary to answer the question, broken down by main cost area. [86911]
Mr. Sutcliffe: To obtain the information requested, each recaptured prisoner’s file would have to be examined by the prison now holding them and enquiries made with both the police and the courts to check whether the prisoner is subject to further proceedings. The estimated resource cost of such enquiries would be in excess of the £600 limit recommended by HM Treasury.
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisons have (a) permanent and (b) temporary accommodation providing facilities for visitors. [86956]
Mr. Sutcliffe: Records held centrally on facilitiesfor visitors do not differentiate between permanentand temporary accommodation. In excess of 130 establishments have access to recognised facilities for visitors. It is recognised that these vary considerably in the amenities and the services which they are able to provide.
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his policy is on the provision of facilities for visitors to HM prisons; and if he will make a statement. [86957]
Mr. Sutcliffe: Prison Service policy states that all visits should take place in the most humane conditions possible, with regard to the physical environment in which visits take place as well as the treatment of visitors.
Mr. Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times illegal drugs have been found in each prison in London in each of the past five years. [87147]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The Prison Service does not hold centrally data on drugs' finds broken down by type of drug.
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of suspected fraud have been investigated in (a) each London prison and (b) the London area office of the prison service in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [87439]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The following table relates to formal investigations commissioned in the London area (including by London area office), due to suspected fraud, in each of the past five financial years.
| Investigations commissioned in the London area | ||||||
| 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | Total | |
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of managed moves within the Prison Service for the year from1 April 2005 to 31 March 2006 were approved by (a) the Director of Operations, (b) the Deputy Director General, (c) the Director General and (d) by other officials. [87441]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The official who approves a managed move within the Prison Service is not recorded centrally and information could be collected only at disproportionate cost. The level at which such moves are approved is set out in a Prison Service Order (number 8110).
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Prison Service Fraud Response Plan was last updated; and if he will place a copy of the plan in the Library. [87442]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The Fraud Response Plan forms part of the Prison Service Anti-Fraud Strategy, which was last updated in September 2004 and published as a Prison Service Order (PSO) on 8 October 2004. The Prison Service Audit Committee reviews the anti-fraud strategy annually.
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he has taken in response to the latest report from HM chief inspector of prisons into conditions at HM Prison Lincoln. [66570]
Mr.
Sutcliffe: The Prison Service has produced an action plan,
which responds to each recommendation in Her Majesty's chief
inspectorate of prison’s report. The action plan details whether
the Prison Service accepts the recommendation, what will be done to
implement it, the person or department responsible
and a timescale. This action plan will be updated approximately 12
months after the report’s publication date of 15 February
2006.
Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the expenditure on staffing in the Hertfordshire probation area in 2004-05 was. [16233]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The total salary costs recorded in the accounts of Hertfordshire Probation Board for 2004-05, are £6,194,000, including employer’s national insurance and pension contributions.
Mr. Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many young offenders have come into contact with the Reading Training for Work Programme in each year since 2003. [84810]
Mr. Sutcliffe: Her Majesty’s Young Offenders Institute Reading do not keep separate records of the number of young offenders who have come into contact with the National Grid Young Offender Programme.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of ritual abuse have (a) been reported and (b) resulted in (i) arrests and (ii) charges in each London borough in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [87332]
Mr. McNulty: The information requested is not available centrally. Ritual abuse cannot be separately identified from offences against the person in either the recorded crime statistics or the court proceedings statistics.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) robberies and (b) burglaries were reported in each London borough in each of the last five years; and how many resulted in a conviction. [86792]
Mr. McNulty: Data collected centrally do not track individual offences to conclusion. Recorded offences are counted on the basis of crimes committed and are available by financial year for each London borough. Convictions are counted on the basis of offenders and are available by calendar year for each London court.
The available information is given in the tables.
| Offences recorded by the Metropolitan Police for each Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership | |||||
| Burglary | |||||
| 2001-02 | ( 1) 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | |
| Robbery | |||||
| 2001-02 | ( 1) 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | |
| (1)
Because of the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in
April 2002 figures before and after that date are not directly
comparable. | |||||
Mr. Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many cases in England and Wales fingerprint evidence has been challenged on the basis of the misidentifications made by the Scottish Criminal Records Office in the case of Shirley McKie and David Asbury. [74091]
Joan Ryan: We are unable to answer this question as the information requested is not recorded.
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many sea-going vessels were stolen from around the coast of the UK in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and how many were recovered. [86719]
Mr. McNulty: The information requested is not available centrally.
Mr. Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what structure has been put in place for the renewal and re-evaluation of door supervisor licences. [82835]
John Reid: The Security Industry Authority (SIA) will not be making any major changes to the SIA licence core competency specifications for the first round of licence renewal, which commences in April 2007 with the door supervisor sector.
Dr. Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for door supervisors’ licences are waiting for (a) approval and (b) processing by the Security Industry Authority. [81126]
Mr. Coaker: On the 5 July, there were 8,845 licence applications from door supervisors in the SIA’s processing system. There was also a total of 4,694 applications from all licensable sectors waiting to enter the processing system, but it is not possible to calculate how many of these were from door supervisors because they had not been opened.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average minimum sentence was, before being considered for parole, for people convicted of (a) kidnapping, (b) rape and (c) sexual assault of children in each of the last five years. [79053]
Mr. Sutcliffe: Information on the average custodial sentence lengths for determinate sentences for these offences is contained in the table.
| Average custodial sentence length imposed (excluding life) for kidnapping, rape and sexual assault of persons under 16, all courts, England and Wales, 2000-04 | |||||
| Months | |||||
| Offence | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 |
| (1)
Not shown separately as less than 100 persons sentenced to custody.
Source: RDS
NOMS. | |||||
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what average sentence was served for (a) sexual assault, (b) rape of a minor and (c) rape in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [86331]
Mr. Sutcliffe: Data on average time served, which are obtained from the Prison IT system, are not available separately for specific offences as accuracy at this level of detail cannot be guaranteed.
| Average length of custodial sentences (excluding life) for sexual assault, rape of a minor and rape All courts England and Wales 2000-04 | |||||
| Average sentence length (months) | |||||
| Offence | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 |
| (1)
Indecent assault prior to
2004. Source: RDS NOMS | |||||
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last met representatives of the National Organisation for Rape Crisis and Sex Abuse Victims. [86339]
Mr. Coaker: The Rape Crisis Co-ordination Group is represented on the Stakeholder Advisory Group on Sexual Violence, which is chaired by Ministers from the Home Office and the Department of Health. The Group met for the first time on the 28 June 2006.
Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received on a revision to the Statutory Charge document on the Removal, Storage and Disposal of Vehicles; and if he will make a statement. [87536]
Mr.
McNulty: We receive regular correspondence from a range of
interested parties on various issues related to the charges. These
include the interpretation and application of the charges, whether we
intend to review them, the nature and timing of any review,
suggestions for change and the contractual arrangements between removal
operators and the
police.
Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what timescale he has set for review of statutory fees relating to vehicle removal, storage and disposal; and if he will make a statement. [87537]
Mr. McNulty: We have recently informed the parties chiefly concerned of our intention to conduct a wide ranging review of the charges for vehicle removal, storage and disposal, and indicated that we would welcome initial views. In preparing proposals on which we will consult all the parties, we will take into account any such view, together with views expressed in previous discussions, correspondence and meetings. We have set no formal timescale for the work which will proceed as swiftly as resources permit.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were convicted of terrorist acts relating to the Irish Republican Movement between 1976 and 2000 in (a) Great Britain and (b) Northern Ireland. [86810]
Mr. McNulty: The information requested on convictions is not held by the Home Office. However, the publication “Statistics on the Operation of Prevention of Terrorism Legislation” includes statistics in connection with Northern Irish terrorism. This publication is available on the Science, Research and Statistics part of the Home Office website for the period 1979 to 2000.
Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people (a) arrested, (b) charged and (c) convicted under the Terrorism Act 2000 were from (i) Suffolk and (ii) the East of England. [85545]
Mr. McNulty: The statistics on arrests, charges and convictions under the Terrorism Act 2000 (TACT) are not broken down in the way requested. However, statistics compiled from police records show that between 11 September 2001 and 31 March 2006, 997 people were arrested under TACT.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many personal computers have been seized by each police service from suspects detained under the Terrorism Act 2003. [86806]
Mr. McNulty: This information is not held by the Home Office.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been convicted for ticket touting in each of the last five years; and what the average sentence (a) given and (b) served was in each year. [87307]
Mr. Coaker: Data for the 2005-06 football seasonare currently being collated and will be published later this year. The following table shows the number of convictions and cautions for ticket touting offences in the previous four seasons. Information on sentences imposed following conviction is not available centrally.
| Season | Convictions | Cautions |
Mr. Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what meetings (a) he and (b) his officials have had with representatives of the United States' Department of Justice in the last 12 months. [86489]
John Reid: Since my appointment as Home Secretary on 5 May 2006,1 have not yet had an opportunity to meet the US Attorney-General.
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 19 June 2006, Official Report, column 1661W, on violent crime, how many violent crimes were recorded in 2004. [80425]
Mr. McNulty: There were 1,175,363 violent crimes recorded by the police in England and Wales in 2004. Data on recorded crime are not directly comparable with court proceedings data given in the previous answer.
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has (a) to increase visa charges in 2007-08 and (b) to assess the potential impact of such an increase on the UK's income from tourism. [88784]
Dr. Howells: Visa application fees are kept under constant review. UKvisas has no plans to increase its fees in the current financial year and will review fees for 2007-08 later in the year. No decisions have been taken on fee levels in 2007-08. UKvisas is mandated by HM Treasury to recoup costs through fees without burdening the UK taxpayer. The Government need to ensure it is charging a fair rate for its services, and that it continues to offer value to those that travel tothe UK.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many members of staff were employed in the (a) private and (b) public sector in the care of vulnerable and at risk children and young adults in custody in each of the last 20 years as a percentage of the custody workforce. [86987]
Mr. Sutcliffe: I refer my hon. Friend to the answerI gave him on 18 July 2006 Official Report, volume 449, Column 411W.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost was of the inquiry into the death of Zahid Mubarek. [86246]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The total budget allocated to the Inquiry was £4.2 million; taking into account all related costs borne directly by the Government, the total cost of the Inquiry was £5.2 million.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he will take to implement the recommendations of the inquiry into the death of Zahid Mubarek. [86247]
Mr. Sutcliffe: I refer my hon. Friend to the written ministerial statement made by the Home Secretaryon the publication of the report on 29 June 2006, Official Report, column 19WS, to which was attached the Governments initial response to the report. Inthe statement the Government committed itself to providing a full response to the reports 88 recommendations within two months.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what advertising campaigns the Department ran between 2000 and June 2004; and what the (a) date and (b) cost was of each. [87052]
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what assessment he has made of the impact of people living in caravan parks on (a) police, (b) health, (c) social service, (d) educational spending and (e) special educational needs spending; [88286]
John Healey: I have been asked to reply.
http://www.local.odpm.gov.uk/finance/0607/lgfr067s/contents.pdf http://www.local.odpm.gov.uk/finance/0607/lgfr078s/contents.pdf.
Mr. Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many criminal offences his Department has created by Orders in Council in each year since 1997. [88464]
Mr. Hain: The Wales Office was established on 1 July 1999 following devolution. Since that time, no criminal offences have been created by Orders in Council.
Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many staff members in his Department have been (a) prosecuted and (b) convicted following fraud charges since 1997; [88445]
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on how many occasions he has stayed overnight in Wales on official business since his appointment. [87323]
Mr. Hain: Due to disproportionate costs, this information is not available for the period October 2003 to May 2005.
Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will place in the Library a copy of the letter recently sent to strategic health authority chief executives informing them that primary care trusts and strategic health authorities should not identify savings from posts working on the implementation of “Choosing Health” when considering savings from implementing commissioning a patient-led NHS; and whether the same advice applies to revenue funding; [81518]
Andy Burnham: “Commissioning a Patient-led NHS” outlined plans for achieving £250 million savings through the reconfiguration of strategic health authorities and primary care trusts.
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average population size is of the catchment area of hospitals with type 1 accident and emergency departments. [85525]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The data requested is not collected centrally.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what procedure is followed when it is proposed that an abortion clinic should be (a) opened and (b) closed; [83432]
Caroline Flint: Any independent sector place wishing to perform abortion has to first be registered with the Healthcare Commission under the Care Standards Act 2000, as amended before the premises can be considered for approval under the Abortion Act 1967, as amended.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether her Department has provided any funding to Abortion Rights; and if she will make a statement; [85124]
Caroline Flint: The Department has not provided any funding to Abortion Rights.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many discharges there were from hospitals after septic abortions in 2005. [85148]
Caroline Flint: In 2005, there were 13 abortions where sepsis was recorded on the abortion notification form.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research her Department (a) has undertaken and (b) plans to undertake into the reasons for trends in the abortion rate in South Gloucestershire between 2004 and 2005; and if she will make a statement. [87106]
Caroline Flint: I refer the hon. Member to the answers given on 14 July 2006, Official Report, column 2142W, and 21 March 2006, Official Report, column 250W.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what mobile communication systems the ambulance service uses; and what plans the Government have to ensure inter-operability and improve communications with other emergency services. [86850]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Ambulance trusts use a range of communication systems including analogue and digital radio systems, mobile phones, pagers and data transfer systems.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether mobile phone triangulation technology is available to ambulance services for the purpose of identifying the whereabouts of a victim of an accident. [85782]
Andy Burnham: Triangulation technology is not used by ambulance trusts. However, there are two facilities that are available to emergency services to assist them in the location of callers using mobile phones and of vehicles involved in accidents.
Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps she is taking to ensure that the closure of the Biobras animal insulin production facilities in Brazil does not adversely affect the capacity of the remaining UK suppliers to manufacture animal insulins; [88819]
Andy Burnham: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 17 July 2006, Official Report, column 244W.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many children have been diagnosed with asthma in each London borough in each of the last five years; [87310]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Department does not collect data on the number of people diagnosed each year with asthma. However, the table shows data for primary care trust (PCT) level prevalence in London for April 2004 to March 2005 which are the only figures available.
| Unadjusted disease prevalence, quality and outcomes framework (QOF) for April 2004 to March 2005, England, number on QOF disease registers and unadjusted prevalence rates, by PCT | |||||||
| Strategic health authority (SHA) code | SHA name | PCT code | PCT name | Number of practices | Sum of list sizes | Sum of asthma register counts | Asthma unadjusted prevalence (Percentage) |
| Notes: 1. SHA and PCT codes are used for administrative purposes in local and national databases. 2. Unadjusted prevalence = (number on disease register/list size) * 100. 3. Â(c) The Information Centre for health and social care 2005. Source: QMAS database—2004-05 data as at end of June 2005. | |||||||
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) children and (b) adults were diagnosed with asthma in each (i) London primary care trust and (ii) London strategic health authority in each of the last five years. [87666]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Department does not collect data on the number of people diagnosed each year with asthma. However, the table shows data for primary care trust (PCT) and strategic health authority (SHA) level prevalence in London, for April 2004 to March 2005 which are the only figures available.
| Unadjusted Disease Prevalence, Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) for April 2004—March 2005, England, numbers on QOF disease registers, and unadjusted prevalence rates, by PCT | |||||||
| Strategic Health Authority code | SHA name | Code | PCT name | Number of practices | Sum of list sizes | Sum of asthma register counts | Asthma unadjusted prevalence (Percentage) |
| Notes: SHA and PCT codes are used for administrative purposes in local and national databases Unadjusted prevalence=(number on disease register/list size) * 100 Â(c) The Information Centre for health and social care 2005 | |||||||
Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures she has put in place to reduce waiting times for referral to specialists for bowel cancer patients. [86679]
Ms Rosie Winterton: A maximum two-week out-patient waiting time standard was introduced in 2000 for urgent general practitioner referrals for suspected bowel cancer. In the last quarter (January to March 2006) 99.9 per cent. of urgent referrals for suspected bowel cancer were seen by a specialist within two weeks.
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what (a) manpower and (b) finances are being provided to (i) Birmingham city, (ii) Herefordshire and (iii) Bath and North East Somerset council by the Food Standards Agency in relation to potential legal action against Cadbury Schweppes; and if she will make a statement; [87762]
Caroline Flint: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has offered both financial and manpower resources to support investigations by the relevant local authorities. To date Herefordshire council has requested and been provided with the services of an investigator from the FSA. Cadbury Schweppes informed the FSA on 6 July that they had introduced a positive release system and changed their testing regime with immediate effect. Cadbury Schweppes also agreed to a programme of cleaning and improvement at the Marlbrook plant starting with immediate effect. This work, monitored by Herefordshire council, is scheduled to last six months to be followed by an ongoing programme of cleaning and maintenance.
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the criteria were by which the Food Standards Agency decided which Cadbury Schweppes products should be recalled; and if she will make a statement. [86428]
Caroline Flint: Article 14 of EC regulation 178/2002 prohibits food being placed on the market that is unsafe. Article 19 places obligations on food businesses to recall, and/or withdraw, food from the market if they have reason to believe it is not in compliance with the food safety requirements of Article 14. In deciding which Cadbury Schweppes products were unsafe and should therefore be recalled the Food Standards Agency received advice, from the Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food, that there is no acceptable level of Salmonella in ready to eat foods.
Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made by the group comprising officials from (a) her Department, (b) the Department for Work and Pensions and (c) Macmillan Cancer Relief since March 2005 to ensure more efficient delivery of benefits to cancer patients; and if she will make a statement. [86717]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Since March 2005, both the Department and the Department of Work and Pensions have met with Macmillan Cancer Relief to discuss steps that can be taken to ensure that cancer patients are signposted to information and advice about benefits. These discussions are continuing and in particular, through proposals announced in the White Paper “Our Health, Our Care, Our Say” to develop information prescriptions for people with long-term conditions.
Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in the extending of best practice to improve support for dying patients and their families since the publication of the 19(th) report of the Committee of Public Accounts, Tackling Cancer: improving the patient journey. [86725]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The National Cancer Director and cancer action team are working with strategic health authorities (SHAs) and cancer networks on the implementation of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence’s supportive and palliative care guidance. Cancer networks have been required to set out action plans with key milestones to achieve compliance with the recommendations in the guidance. Implementation is being monitored by SHAs.
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps her Department is taking to encourage hospitals to help with transportation costs for cancer patients. [82797]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Hospital travel costs scheme (HTCS) provides financial assistance to those patients, including cancer patients, who do not have a medical need for ambulance transport, but who require assistance in meeting the cost of travel to and from their care. The Department has published good practice guidance to support trusts when administering the scheme. The guidance states that information about the scheme should be displayed in all patient areas and included in all appointment or admission letters. It is for individual trusts to decide how good practice is implemented locally.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to alter the role of primary care trusts in the (a) commissioning and (b) contracting of (i) out-patient and (ii) in-patient cancer services; whether she expects elements of the (A) commissioning and (B) contracting process will be undertaken by organisations outside the public sector; and if she will make a statement. [88301]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Commissioning is the process which determines how the health and health care budget issued. The process must result in a good deal both for taxpayers and for patients, whether this is for cancer or other services.
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent by her Department on treatment for cannabis dependence in the last period for which figures are available. [88014]
Caroline
Flint: Funding for drug treatment is not allocated
according to drug type. The pooled treatment budget (PTB) for drug
treatment is given to drug action teams across the country which spend
this allocation based on the need of the local community. The PTB for
2006-07 is £375 million. In addition, £20 million capital
is being made available to help support the expansion of residential
rehabilitation and in-patient detoxification and other treatment
services.
Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reason the deboning of carcases in butchers’ shops is restricted in the UK to bovine animals under 24 months.[R] [87003]
Caroline Flint [holding answer 20 July 2006]: The deboning of carcases in butchers’ shops is not restricted just to bovine animals under 24 months. In line with the Community TSE Regulation, any butcher in the United Kingdom wishing to remove vertebral column from bovines between 24 to 30 months of age, is able to do so providing they obtain an authorisation from their local authority.
Dr. Desmond Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of patients with relevant conditions use implantable cardioverter defibrillation; and what financial savings have been identified from their use. [86359]
Ms Rosie Winterton: This information is not collected centrally.
Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the Answer of 14 June 2006, Official Report, column 1278W, on Consultant Contract Benefit Realisation Team (CCRT), what the cost was of the CCRT; how the effectiveness of CCRT was measured; and what results CCRT produced during the time it was operational. [84042]
Andy Burnham: The Consultant Contract Benefits Realisation Team (CCBRT) was set up in March 2005 and the 2005-06 total allocation of funding was £595,000. The effectiveness of the team's work was assessed against its objectives to:
examine the implementation of the consultant contract;
assess the value of the consultant job planning toolkit;
identify how clinical leads have been developed to undertake job planning; and
identify benefits gained and disseminate good practice.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the estimated cost was to the national health service of the treatment of chest diseases in each year since 1995. [85161]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: We do not have data before 2002-03. Since then, the Department’s resource accounts have included details of expenditure by programme budget categories. Gross national health service expenditure on respiratory problems is shown in the following table.
| Gross expenditure £000 | |
| Source: Department of Health Resource Accounts 2002-03 (HC 191), 2003-04 (HC 150), 2004-05 (HC668). | |
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment she has made of the impact on children in London of the failure of the child health interim application. [85633]
Caroline Flint: Affected primary care trusts (PCTs), departmental colleagues, Connecting For Health (CfH) and the Health Protection Agency (HPA) are currently carrying out an assessment review of the COVER statistics that have been produced by the HPA. The assessment is not yet complete but it appears that in some areas uptake of immunisation differs from what may have been expected. It is not yet clear whether the data received is complete, or if there is a drop in uptake, whether or not the problem is related to the child health interim application (CHIA) and/or other factors. Once the outcome of the review is complete, an action plan will be determined by the team to address the matter.
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on problems with the child health interim application. [85637]
Caroline Flint: The problems with the child health interim application (CHIA) have been addressed by a number of press releases from Connecting for Health (CfH). Colleagues from the Department and CfH are taking an expedient and pragmatic approach with the primary care trusts, strategic health authority and suppliers to resolve these issues in the short term and to review the options available for ensuring that a full and robust system is employed in the longer term.
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the cost of identifying and vaccinating children affected by the disruption to child health services through problems with the Child Health Interim Application. [85638]
Caroline
Flint: It appears from the COVER reports that the number
of children being immunised in some areas may not be as expected;
however, as the returns received may be incomplete, we cannot at this
stage
draw any conclusions. An assessment review to determine the scope of the
problem is being taken forward by colleagues at the Department,
Connecting for Health, primary care trusts and strategic health
authority and the suppliers (BT) who are working together to move the
child health interim application forward as quickly as possible, as
well as implement a more robust solution in the longer term.
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action she plans to take in relation to the primary care trusts using the child health interim application which have not filed data with the Health Protection Agency in this quarter. [85920]
Caroline Flint: The provision of primary care trust (PCT) immunisation reports to the Health Protection Agency (HPA) forms the basis of the HPA COVER reports, which are an important resource for measuring immunisation uptake across the country. It is in everyone’s interests to ensure that all child health systems are able to facilitate this operation by producing statistics that can be used for the national COVER report. Whilst it is true that child health interim application (CHIA) has not been able to produce reports, colleagues at Connecting for Health and the strategic health authority have been working with the to try and produce reports from the raw data within CHIA for the last quarterly and annual returns.
Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the Answer of 18 April 2006, Official Report, column 227W, on immunisation, if she will place in the Library a list of those primary care trusts where general medical service partnerships have opted out of childhood immunisation services. [88913]
Caroline Flint: This corrects the information provided to the Answer of 18 April 2006, Official Report, column 227W, on immunisation. It shows as at 2004, 343 of general medical servicer practices had opted out of childhood immunisation services and according to revised 2005 data this has now fallen to 28. A list has been placed in the Library.
Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will bring forward proposals to increase the funding of children's hospices; [73228]
(3) when she expects to make an announcement regarding the funding of children's hospices; [73690]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to the hon. Member for Castle Point (Bob Spink) on 15 March 2006, Official Report, column 1454W, concerning children's hospices. The meeting that took place on 17 May 2006 was in response to the Prime Minister’s offer to meet representatives of the children's hospice movement. I understand that the hon. Member for Castle Point attended that meeting with representatives of the Association of Children's Hospices. The need to review the functions and funding of children's hospices was discussed and the effect the loss of Big Lottery funding was having on the services they provide to children and young people needing palliative care and their families.
Dr. Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) when Chiron first informed the Department that it would not be able to provide expected supplies of diamorphine to the NHS at the end of 2004; and what warning period is required of suppliers to the NHS of essential pharmaceuticals of an interruption or planned ending of supply; [86674]
Andy Burnham: Chiron informed the Department that its supplies of diamorphine injection were limited on 16 December 2004, and it was unable to say when more would be available.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 5 June 2006, Official Report, column 353W, on chiropractic management, how many chiropractors were employed by the NHS in each of the last three years; and at what cost. [79850]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Information on the number of chiropractors and the cost to the national health service is not available as chiropractors were not separately identified in the workforce census from the rest of the non-medical work force.
Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money has been spent on the choose and book service. [77059]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for St. Albans (Anne Main) on 10 March 2006, Official Report, columns 1812-13W.
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of patients have been unable to book an appointment on the telephone and online when they have been given a unique booking reference number by the Choose and Book system as a result of (a) human failure and (b) system error. [76380]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The information requested is not collected centrally.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to increase the number of clinical academic staff in (a) medical and (b) dental schools. [86364]
Andy Burnham: The Department and its partners are taking forward training schemes to implement the recommendations on clinical academic careers made last year by the academic careers sub-committee of modernising medical careers and the United Kingdom clinical research collaboration. In the first round, the clinical academic careers panel has recommended for funding:
104 programmes to support academic clinical fellowships (597 ACFs over five years); and
101 programmes to support clinical lectureships (303 CLs over five years).
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the use of Clinical Assessment Services by primary care trusts; what the plans are for the introduction of a Clinical Assessment Service to deal with patients in Hertsmere; what standard of medical skills will be required of those providing that service; what other service specifications will be required; what target has been set for cost savings as a result of the introduction of the service; what the cost of the service is expected to be; what assessment she has made of the likely effect of the service on waiting times; what opportunities patients will have to have a say in the running of the service; and what consultations have been carried out with patients about the provision of a Clinical Assessment Service in Hertsmere. [86972]
Andy Burnham: Current advice is contained in a letter from the Department's director of access to primary care trust chief executives in July 2005. Referrals to community-based clinical assessment services, and other such centres, should happen only where it adds genuine clinical value for patients. A copy of the letter is available in the Library.
James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for Health where within the NHS the on-call doctor at Southend Hospital with responsibility for the treatment of Peter Halley of Southend-on-Sea following admission on 7 May 2004 now works. [87947]
Andy Burnham [holding answer 24 July 2006]: The Department does not hold information on the employment of individual doctors working in the national health service. All NHS trusts who employ doctors including temporary staff have a duty to check the good standing and employment history of those doctors and to ensure that they are fit to practise and fit for purpose, this includes checking whether an alert letter has been issued. Where doctors are supplied through agencies those agencies have a similar duty. Alert letters provide a mechanism by which the NHS can urgently communicate concerns of a serious nature in relation to a healthcare practitioner.
Sir John Stanley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) which NHS hospital trusts have reported having patients in their hospitals with clostridium difficile in 2006; [88165]
Andy Burnham: Data on the number of “Clostridium difficile” reports for patients aged 65 and over is available for national health service acute trusts from the mandatory surveillance scheme on health care associated infections. Results for 2006 are not available but data for 2005 is available at:
www.hpa.org.uk/infections/topics_az/hai/mandatory_report_2006.htm
www.dh.gov.uk/PubliationsAndStatistics/LettersAndCirculars/ProfessionalLetters/ChiefMedicalOfficerLetters/ChiefMeicalOfficerLettersArticle/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4125069&chk=cuQ7C%2B.
A simple guide to “Clostridium difficile” is also available on the Department’s website at:
www.dh.gov.uk/PolicyAndGuidance/HealthAndSocialCareTopics/HealthcareAcquiredInfection/HealthcareAcquiredGeneralInformation/HealthcareAcquiredGeneralArticle/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4115800&chk=wHehV/
(1 “)Clostridium Difficile” Infection, Prevention and Management A Report by a Department of Health/PHLS joint working group. 1994
(2) Guidelines for optimal surveillance of Clostridium difficile infection in hospitals Brazier JS and Duerden BI. Guidelines for optimal surveillance of “Clostridium difficile” infection in hospitals. Comm.Dis.Pub.Health. 1998:1;(4) 229-230.
Mr. Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many community hospitals in (a) South West London, (b) Surrey, (c) Middlesex, (d) Greater London and (e) England are having their closure discussed; and in how many such cases the possible closure is a result of NHS trust budget deficits. [58919]
Andy
Burnham: Making decisions on local healthcare provision,
including the closure of community hospitals, is a matter for primary
care trusts (PCTs) and strategic health authorities (SHAs) in
consultation with the local population. Therefore,
the Department does not centrally collect information on the number of
community hospitals that are having their closure
discussed.
www.dh.gov.uk.
Mr. Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what (a) information and (b) support she has made available to hon. Members with community hospitals threatened with closure in their constituency. [58920]
Andy Burnham: The recently published Health White Paper “Our health, our care, our say: a new direction for community services” sets out how the Department intends to fulfil the Government’s manifesto commitment to develop a new generation of modern national health service community hospitals. The Department will keep Parliament updated with progress against this commitment.
Mr. Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the impact of the closure of community hospitals on the elderly; and what steps she is taking to lessen that impact. [58922]
Andy Burnham: This Government have invested heavily on developing alternatives to in-patient stays in hospitals, including more intensive support to enable people to stay in their own homes wherever that is safe and what the individual wants. We set out in the White Paper “Our Health, Our Care, Our Say: a new direction for community services” that community hospitals can play an invaluable role in delivering services that patients need, and want close to home. We have stressed that short-term budgetary pressures are insufficient reason to close viable community hospitals that local people want and that they should only be closed after extensive consultation locally and when any proposals have been tested against the principles set out in the White Paper.
Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to her oral Statement of 5 July 2006, Official Report, column 819W, on community hospitals, how many community hospitals in Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire strategic health authority area she assesses as being based in Victorian workhouse facilities. [85963]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Suffolk West Primary Care Trust (PCT) currently provides services at Walnutree Hospital and Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire PCTs provide services on part of the Brookfields site (Davison House), all of which were workhouses originally.
Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether her Department has made an assessment of the likely demand for community hospital beds in East Cambridgeshire and Fenland primary care trust area over the next five to 10 years. [85965]
Ms Rosie Winterton: It is for primary care trust to assess and commission services to meet the needs of the populations that they serve.
Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many community hospital beds there were in the East Cambridgeshire and Fenland primary care trust area in each year since 1997. [85980]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The information requested is not held centrally.
Anne
Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for
Health whether her Department has made an assessment of the likely
demand for community
hospital beds in (a) Guildford and Waverley primary care trust
area and (b) Surrey over the next (i) five and (ii) 10 years.
[87915]
Andy Burnham: It is for local primary care trusts in conjunction with strategic health authorities to make assessments relating to local health service provision.
Mrs. Riordan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her oral statement of 5 July 2006, Official Report, column 816-32, on community hospitals, whether the new community hospitals will have midwife-led maternity services. [85284]
Andy Burnham: As stated in the publication ‘Our Health, Our Care, Our Community: investing in the future of community hospitals and services’ the clinical possibilities of community hospitals and their range of services are considerable. Annex A of that publication, outlines some of the possibilities, which include maternity services.
Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate her Department has made of the number of community hospital beds which will be needed in the next 10 years. [85494]
Andy Burnham: It is for local primary care trusts in conjunction with strategic health authorities to make assessments relating to local health service provision.
Mr. Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which operational areas of her Department’s work are being reviewed under the contestability process. [62680]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Department is not reviewing new areas for contesting departmental functions although some services continue to be contracted out such as information technology maintenance, catering, occupational health and photocopying.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to her answer of 13 July 2006, Official Report, column 2042W, on continuing care, if she will make it her policy that no-one currently in receipt of continuing care will lose their entitlement to it with the introduction of the national framework for continuing care. [87693]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: We are consulting on a draft national framework until 22 September 2006, and it would be inappropriate to enter into specific commitments until all consultees have had an opportunity to comment and for those comments to be considered.
John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) which organisations her Department consulted on the contract notice 2006-05 114-121806; [86110]
Andy Burnham: The advertisement in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) was withdrawn and a revised advertisement submitted on 13 July to make it clear that clinical provision was explicitly excluded from the scope of the procurement. In other words, that we were advertising for a range of management functions to support primary care trusts (PCTs) commissioning role. We have used the opportunity of the reissue of the advertisement to emphasise that even if PCTs choose to use such services they remain accountable to the public for the resources spent on health care in their locality.
Dr. Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures are in place to control the sale of counterfeit medicines online. [79001]
Andy Burnham: Medicines law in the United Kingdom (UK) (Medicines Act 1968 and related regulations) imposes strict controls on the sale, supply and advertising of medicines and these controls apply without distinction to medicines offered for sale via the internet and by mail order. Internet pharmacies must be registered with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain and any manufacturing or distribution activities are required to be licensed by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which groups representing those working in dental laboratories she has met in the last 12 months. [86281]
Ms Rosie Winterton: I met with the Dental Laboratories Association (DLA) in December 2005. The DLA is represented on the implementation review group, which has been set up to review the impact of the national health service dentistry reforms and identify any issues that need to be addressed. I attended the first meeting of the review group in April.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research she has (a) initiated and (b) evaluated on the reasons for the change in the level of dentists providing NHS dental repairs since the implementation of the new dental contracts; and if she will make a statement. [86283]
Ms Rosie Winterton: It is for individual dentists working under general dental services contracts or personal dental services agreements to use their clinical judgment to examine a patient and determine what treatment including any dental repairs is necessary. The Department does not collect routine information on the quantity or type of dental repairs being carried out.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the unnumbered command papers produced by her Department in each Session since 1976; by what means (a) hon. Members and (b) members of the public can (i) inspect and (ii) obtain copies; and if she will make a statement. [81308]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: Documents which are laid before Parliament as unnumbered command papers are generally restricted to explanatory notes to treaties, explanatory memorandum to statutory instruments and some Treasury minutes. All other documents are published in the numbered command papers series.
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many free air miles have been earned by senior civil servants in her Department in each of the last three years; and how they were used. [72861]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Department has no record of any free air miles having been earned by its senior civil servants.
Mr. Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many diabetics in (a) England and (b) Shropshire use (i) insulin inhalers and (ii) insulin pumps. [86127]
Ms Rosie Winterton: This information is not held centrally.
Dr. Desmond Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of patients with diabetes use insulin pumps; and what savings have been identified from their use. [86360]
Ms Rosie Winterton: This information is not held centrally.
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average cost has been of the diagnostic phase management consultants employed by trusts applying for foundation status. [88276]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The diagnostic programme to prepare national health service trusts for NHS foundation trust status has been delivered through a central support contract for consultancy support. The contract was let following a competitive tendering process, the value for which is commercially confidential. The Department does not hold information on the average cost of consultancy support for trusts although we are aware that consultants have added value to the programme by providing external rigour and challenge as well as business expertise.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many doctors in London were struck off the medical register in each year since 1997. [87664]
Andy Burnham: This information is not collected centrally.
Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) letters and (b) other representations her Department received on Doddington Community Hospital near March in Cambridgeshire. [85979]
Andy Burnham: There have been no representations made on the subject of Doddington Community Hospital, and due to the way data is collected, the Department is unable to provide the number of letters received in relation to Doddington Community Hospital.
Mike
Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for
Health how much has been budgeted by her Department for the Dr. Foster
intelligence data information service; what range of data will be
collected by Dr. Foster; who will own the data that is collected; and
whether
Dr. Foster will be entitled to make financial gain from use of the
information collected beyond the profit gained from the stated aim of
helping to give people more choice.
[85956]
Caroline Flint: The information centre for health and social care is a 50 per cent. shareholder in Dr. Foster Intelligence and is working in partnership with the company to transform data into products and services which are relevant, accessible and usable to deliver better care.
Mr. Scott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent by the health service on the treatment of persons addicted to illegal drugs in each of the last three years. [87682]
Caroline Flint: The amount of funding spent on drug treatment for each of the last three years is shown in the table.
| £ million | |||
| Pooled treatment budget | Mainstream funding | Total | |
| Note: Estimated local funding increases based on 2 per cent. inflation | |||
Sir Peter Soulsby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many drug addicts received treatment from GPs in (a) Eastern Leicester Primary Care Trust, (b) Leicester City West Primary Care Trust and (c) England in each of the last three years for which figures are available. [86368]
Caroline Flint: The Department does not collect information on how many drugs addicts receive treatment from general practitioners (GPs). However, treatment data from the national drug treatment monitoring system (NDTMS) is shown in the table for clients receiving GP prescribing for the treatment of drug addiction in Leicester (city) and the whole of England for 2004-05 and 2005-06. Data is not available at primary care trust level.
| Leicester | England | |
| (1)
Provisional data based on 30 April 2006
dataset | ||
Mr. Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average expenditure per patient was for drug rehabilitation in (a) Bexley borough and (b) Greater London in the last period for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement. [83482]
Caroline Flint: This information is not held centrally.
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) residential and (b) inpatient specialist drug treatment rehabilitation places are available in (i) Ruislip-Northwood constituency, (ii) each London borough and (iii) England. [86476]
Caroline Flint: It is important to note that residential and inpatient drug rehabilitation services are often provided outside of the individual's drug action team (DAT) of residence. Therefore, individuals as well as having access to these services in their area of residence are, with the agreement of their DAT, able to access similar services elsewhere in the country.
| Table 1 | ||
| Borough | Number of units | Number of beds |
| (1)
This figure is high because it includes one of the large priory
hospitals (private
sector). | ||
specialist units for drug misuse inpatient treatment;
inpatient drug treatment which takes place in general or psychiatric wards; and
detoxification in residential rehabilitation services, prior to admission to the rehabilitation programme.
specialist units: 6,829 admissions;
general/psychiatric wards: 2,077 admissions.
Note:
In response to this question, information is mainly given in number of beds available for residential rehabilitation. This is not the same as the number of client places available in treatment services during any one year, as one bed may be occupied by a number of clients, depending on need, during the year.
Mr. Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) overseas residents and (b) UK residents not normally living in Eastbourne have received NHS treatment at the Eastbourne District General Hospital in each of the last five years. [87677]
Ms Rosie Winterton: This information requested is not collected centrally.
Mr. Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cardiac episodes required admission to Eastbourne District General Hospital (a) by ambulance and (b) through accident and emergency in each of the last five years. [86406]
Caroline Flint: The information requested is not collected centrally in this format.
Mr. Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps her Department is taking to raise awareness of the incidence of eating disorders with the (a) public and (b) medical profession. [85385]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Department asked the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence to produce a clinical guideline on the core interventions in the treatment and management of anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and related eating disorders which was published in 2004. The guideline covers physical and psychological treatments, treatment with medicines, and what kinds of services best help people with eating disorders. It also includes information specifically for patients, carers and the general public.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many free eye tests were given in each London borough in each year since 1997. [87497]
Ms Rosie Winterton: This information is not held in the format requested. However, the following table shows data on the number of free eye tests by health authority and primary care trust in London for the years 1996-97 to 2004-05.
| Free eye care tests by HA and PCT in London | |||||
| Number | |||||
| 2001-02 | 2000-01 | 1999-2000 | 1998-99 | 1997-98 | |
| Number | |||
| 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | |
Mr. Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research her Department is undertaking into the causes of fibromyalgia; and if she will make a statement. [87390]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Swansea, East (Mrs. James) on 10 May 2006, Official Report, column 373W.
Mr. MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made by the Food Standards Agency in establishing a timetable for the comprehensive inspection and licensing of food broker businesses. [71150]
Caroline Flint: As from the 1 January 2006 all food brokers are required to register their food premises with their local authority in terms of Regulation 852/2004 of the European Parliament. Once a premises is registered it will be inspected to ascertain if it meets the requirements of the relevant food safety legislation. Currently, there is no requirement for food brokers to be licensed as food business operators.
John Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the timetable is for the review of the Quality and Outcomes Framework of the General Medical Services Contract. [85582]
Andy Burnham: Negotiations on this issue between NHS Employers and the British Medical Association’s general practice committee aim to be completed in time for the start of the financial year 2007-08.
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to her Answer of 20 June 2006, Official Report, column 1802W, on the Gershon Review, what the main elements are of the £179 million savings in social care. [85926]
Mr.
Ivan Lewis: The Department was informed of the £179
million efficiency savings in relation to adult social care through the
2005-06 Mid-Year Update Annual Efficiency Statements which were
completed by councils and submitted to the Office of the Deputy Prime
Minister in November 2005. The template for the Annual Efficiency
Statement requires subdivision between different major council services
areas, such as
adult social care, but there is no requirement for councils to further
subdivide their efficiency savings totals into specific elements of
services.
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many administrative and managerial staff have been employed by the Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Avon strategic health authority in each year of its existence; what the cost of that employment is; and if she will make a statement. [74260]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The requested information is provided in the table. Figures are not available prior to 1998-99. Figures for 2005-06 will not be available until autumn this year.
| Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Avon Strategic Health Authority | |
| £ 000 | |
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospitals in (a) Southend-on-Sea, (b) Essex, (c) Hertfordshire and (d) the Metropolitan police and City of London police areas of London offer specialist services for the rehabilitation of patients with severe head injuries. [87315]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The information requested is not held centrally.
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she plans to extend the 2008 deadline for regulating psychotherapy counsellors through the Health Professions Council; and if she will make a statement. [88029]
Andy Burnham: Work is in hand to scope competencies and undertake preparatory work to enable the statutory regulation of psychotherapists. Decisions about further progress will be taken once the consultation on healthcare profession regulation closes on 10 November 2006.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to review the effectiveness of the code of practice on the international recruitment of health workers. [81788]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Department has no plans to review the effectiveness of the code of practice which is working well.
Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of hepatitis C there were in each (a) primary care trust and (b) strategic health authority area in England (i) in total and (ii) per head of population in each year since 2001. [86573]
Caroline Flint: Data by primary care trust or strategic health authority are not available. The number of laboratory diagnoses of hepatitis C reported to the Health Protection Agency (HPA) for the period requested by HPA region(1) are shown in the table with rates per 100,000 population.
(1) HPA regions correspond to the Government Offices of the English Regions—see www.gos.gov.uk.
| Hepatitis C laboratory reports by Government Offices of the English regions, 2001 to 2005 | ||
| Number | Rate/100,000 | |
| Source: Health Protection Agency | ||
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what her future plans are for hospitals in each council area in the new regional health authority area for the South East; and if she will make a statement. [86279]
Caroline Flint: The south eastern area of England is now covered by two strategic health authorities: NHS South East Coast (covering Surrey, Sussex, Kent and Medway) and NHS South Central (covering Thames Valley, Hampshire and Isle of Wight). It is for primary care trusts in partnership with strategic health authorities and other local stakeholders to determine how best to use their funds to meet national and local priorities for improving health, tackling health inequalities and modernising services.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provision is made with regard to the cost of incoming hospital telephone calls provided by Patientline, Premier and Hospital Telephone Services for those who are unable to pay. [87176]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Bedside televisions and telephones represent an enhanced service, providing additional choice for patients.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to her answer of 14 July 2006, Official Report, column 2159W, on information technology, what (a) the services covered by the contracts and projects added to the original scope of the programme and (b) the additional services beyond the scope of the core national contracts were; why these services and associated costs were not expected when the national programme was originally procured; whether she expects to spend additional money on (i) the services covered by the contracts and projects added to the original scope of the programme and (ii) the additional services beyond the scope of the core national contracts in future years; and if she will make a statement. [87696]
Caroline Flint: The contracts and projects added to the original scope of the national programme were for the provision of a secure email and directory service for national health service staff, including its associated relay service and archive facility, and for the provision of central data stores required for picture archiving and communications systems (PACS).
Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects the vacancy for a permanent chair of Kettering General Hospital NHS Trust to be advertised. [88820]
Andy Burnham: The Secretary of State has delegated the appointment of Chairs of national health service trusts to the NHS Appointments Commission. I have asked Sir William Wells, Chairman of the NHS Appointments Commission, to write direct to the hon. Member as soon as possible.
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what continued funding is planned for the Government's commitment to lifelong learning for the NHS workforce. [86146]
Andy Burnham: Funding for continuing professional development and lifelong learning for the national health service workforce is included as part of the baseline allocation to strategic health authorities (SHAs). How it is allocated is for individual SHAs to determine locally in relation to their workforce planning strategies.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what measures are in place to assess the care needs of individuals with long-term and fluctuating conditions; [88799]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The national health service and social services Departments across the country work together, and with other stakeholders, to deliver high quality, timely and integrated care to those people who need it using the substantial extra resources made available to them by this Government and in accordance with the principles set out in the documents “Supporting people with long term conditions” and “The national service framework for long term conditions”. Both documents are available on the Department’s website at:
www.dh.gov.uk/PolicyAndGuidance/HealthAndSocialCareTopics/LongTermConditions/fs/en.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the financial value is of work commissioned in each of the last three years by (a) her Department and (b) other NHS organisations and agencies with McKinsey and Co.; and if she will make a statement. [84279]
Andy Burnham: The total amount spent by the Department with McKinsey and Co. in the financial years 2003-04, 2004-05, and 2005-06 is shown in the table.
| Expenditure (£000s) | |
John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information health trusts routinely provide to the police on people in the community who are mentally ill and have a history of violent behaviour. [86080]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Information is not passed routinely from health trusts to the police. When individuals are considered a risk to others, they become subject to the provisions of multi-agency public protection panels set up by the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were diagnosed as having mental illness in each London borough in each year since 1997. [87494]
Ms Rosie Winterton: This information is not held centrally.
Mr. Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the annual cost of (a) secure and (b) other residential mental health treatment in each of the last three years. [88940]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Information is not available in the requested format. Annual surveys of investment in mental health services covering 2001-02 to 2005-06, which are available on the Department's website at www.dh.gov.uk/mentalhealth, provide information on planned expenditure on various inpatient and residential mental health service provision including secure and high dependency services.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding was given to each mental health care trust in each of the last five years. [88656]
Ms Rosie Winterton: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 16 June 2006, Official Report, Column 1555W.
Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to introduce an offence for workers ill-treating or neglecting someone with mental health problems or learning disabilities in their care. [79376]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Section 127 of the Mental Health Act 1983 already makes it an offence for people to ill-treat or wilfully neglect patients under their care. We would expect the employer to report such matters to the police or to take disciplinary action depending on the severity of the abuse or neglect. The ill-treatment or neglect of a patient is a matter which the regulatory bodies would take seriously whoever reported the matter to them.
John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many initial hospital orders have been made under section 37 of the Mental Health Act for each category of mental disorder in each of the last five years; and how many of the initial orders were renewed under section 20 for each category of mental disorder in each year. [84117]
Ms Rosie Winterton: This information is not available in the requested format.
www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/inpatientdetmha94to05/mhbulletin/file.
www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/icpublication.2006-01-04.5354930463/04117869.pdf.file.
Dr. Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on her plans for mental health funding. [85644]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Funding for mental health is allocated directly to primary care trust (PCTs). It is for PCTs, in partnership with strategic health authorities and other local stakeholders, to determine how best to use their funds to meet national and local priorities for improving health, tackling health inequalities and modernising services. The 2005-06 national survey of investment in mental health services, which is available on the Department’s website at: www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/13/50/11/04135011.pdf, shows that between 2001-02 and 2005-06 planned expenditure on mental health services by national health service organisations and local authorities has increased in real terms by 25 per cent.
Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps her Department is taking to improve child and adult mental health services. [86798]
Mr.
Ivan Lewis: Improving child and adolescent mental health
services (CAMHS) is one of the priorities for this Government, as
emphasised by the
public service agreement standard of a comprehensive CAMHS in every area
of England. This commitment to improve CAMHS has been backed by
significant additional funding, over £300 million over the three
years 2003-04 to
2005-06.
Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many young people aged under 25 years are placed in adult mental health units in England. [86799]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Information is not collected on the number of 18 to 25-year-olds placed in adult mental health units nor in the exact format requested.
Natascha Engel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what palliative treatment is available to patients with mesothelioma. [87444]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The palliative treatment offered to a patient with mesothelioma will depend on their individual condition. The treatment patients should be offered is a matter for the clinical judgment of the physician responsible for their care.
Mr. Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has made to supermarket chains in relation to their food procurement policies for produce treated with methyl bromide. [85605]
Ian Pearson: I have been asked to reply.
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many vacant midwives’ posts there are in (a) Wakefield West and (b) Eastern Wakefield primary care trust. [85764]
Ms Rosie Winterton: As at March 2005, there were no vacant midwives posts at Wakefield West primary care trust (PCT) and Eastern Wakefield PCT. Data for 2006 is not yet available.
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many students entered midwifery training in each year since 1997. [85767]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The information requested is shown in the following table.
| Midwifery training commissions academic year | |
| Number of commissions | |
| Source: Strategic health authority quarterly monitoring returns | |
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many newly qualified midwives have been employed in the NHS in each of the last 10 years. [85768]
Ms Rosie Winterton: This information is not collected centrally.
Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many midwife posts are vacant in (a) Barnsley Primary Care Trust and (b) Doncaster West Primary Care Trust. [86380]
Andy Burnham: As at 31 March 2005, there were no vacant midwife posts in Barnsley Primary Care Trust (PCT) and Doncaster West PCT. Figures for 2006 are not yet available.
Mr.
Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for
Health what the attrition rate was for student midwives
in each academic year since 1997; what research she has (a)
commissioned and (b) evaluated on the rate; and if she will make
a statement.
[83761]
Andy Burnham: Information for England on the percentage of pre-registration midwifery students who have left their university course is shown in the table. Each year represents an intake year. A complete measure of attrition for a cohort of students will include withdrawal figures for each year of their programme. No data are available for 2001-02. The attrition data for the 2002-03 academic year onwards administered by the higher education statistics agency are in the process of being analysed by the health services information centre.
| Percentage of midwives failing to complete courses | |
| (1)
This data is not complete as it does not include withdrawal rates for
each year of the course for the intake year
specified. | |
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make representations to Milton Keynes primary care trust to encourage it to reverse (a) the proposed reductions in (i) mental health day and (ii) drug and alcohol services and (b) the decision to close the memory screening clinic. [85806]
Caroline Flint: It is for primary care trusts in partnership with strategic health authorities and other local stakeholders to determine how best to use their funds to meet national and local priorities for improving health, tackling health inequalities and modernising services.
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans Milton Keynes primary care trust has to remove funding for the posts of (a) a full-time consultant clinical psychologist and (b) the clinical assistant to consultant clinical psychologist at the Oakhill Secure Training Centre in Milton Keynes. [85826]
Ms Rosie Winterton: It is for primary care trusts in partnership with strategic health authorities and other local stakeholders to determine how best to use their funds to meet national and local priorities for improving health, tackling health inequalities and modernising services.
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been paid in (a) salary, (b) travelling expenses, (c) subsistence allowance and (d) removal expenses to special advisers in her private office in each of the last five years. [69214]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: Since 2003, the Government have published on an annual basis the names and overall cost of special advisers and the number in each payband. For information relating to the last financial year I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement made by my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister, on 21 July 2005, Official Report, columns 158-61WS.
| Travel and subsistence (£) | Removal expenses | |
It is not possible to separately identify travel and subsistence.
Due to system changes, access to earlier figures would incur disproportionate cost.
Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what percentage of patients treated at minor injuries units in (a) England and (b) the North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire strategic health authority area were admitted after suffering an accident on a road-side pavement in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement. [86332]
Andy Burnham: The information requested is not centrally available.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children were vaccinated with the MMR jab in each (a) London primary care trust and (b) London strategic health authority in each of the last five years. [87667]
Caroline Flint: Immunisation data by primary care trust, strategic health authorities and nationally are published annually in the statistical bulletin “NHS Immunisation Statistics, England” which includes London, which is available in the Library.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what surveys of morbidity for each primary care trust in England are undertaken by her Department. [84023]
Andy Burnham: Surveys of morbidity at primary care trust (PCT) level are not conducted centrally by the Department, national survey usually have samples large enough to report at regional level. The Information Centre for Health and Social Care collects data prevalence of 11 disease areas (coronary heart disease, left ventricular dysfunction, stroke and transient ischaemic attack, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, epilepsy, hypothyroidism, cancer, mental health and asthma) at PCT level through the quality and outcomes framework. Further information is available from The Information Centre for Health and Social Care's website at:
www.ic.nhs.uk/services/qof/data/.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many nurses have been employed specifically to treat sufferers of multiple sclerosis in each year since 1997; [85780]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Information is not collected centrally on specific nursing specialties. Work force planning is a matter for local determination, based on service need.
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she is considering (a) new proposals for the inspection of charitable multiple sclerosis treatment centres offering oxygen therapies and (b) a revised charging structure; and if she will make a statement. [88011]
Andy Burnham: We are not considering any such proposals.
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many calls to NHS Direct about access to an NHS dentist there were in each month since April 2005 in England, broken down by (a) emergency, (b) urgent and (c) other calls. [81692]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Information is not currently available for the complete period requested. However, information for the month that complete data are currently available from all NHS Direct sites is shown in the table.
| NHS Direct dental calls by type for May 2005 | |
| Number | |
| (1)
Routine includes calls requesting routine information only about where
to find a dentist and calls requesting routine dental health advice and
information about where to find a
dentist. Source: The Information Centre for health and social care | |
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on proposed redundancies at NHS Direct at Caterham. [82353]
Ms Rosie Winterton: NHS Direct began a 12-week consultation period with staff and staff side representatives on 16 May 2006 on proposals to ensure that its organisational structure, estates and staffing are fit for purpose to meet future developments and demand. The consultation period is due to end on 16 August 2006. The outcomes of the consultation will be made in due course.
Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of total NHS expenditure in (a) 2006, (b) 2008 and (c) 2010 is expected to be budgeted for (i) invoicing, (ii) accounting for and auditing individual patient treatments, (iii) making and monitoring contracts and (iv) marketing and advertising; and what the comparable figures were in (A) 1996, (B) 1998, (C) 2000, (D) 2001 and (E) 2004. [85912]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The information requested is not collected centrally.
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cumulative breakeven position was in 2005 for each NHS organisation in London as reported in the final accounts of national health service trusts. [88962]
Andy Burnham: The latest year for which audited data on the financial position of national health service organisations is available is 2004-05.
| 2004-05 NHS trust break-even cumulative position | |
| £000 | |
| Note: 2004-05 data does not include information relating to NHS foundation trusts. Source: Audited NHS Trust summarisation schedules 2004-05. | |
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health in what circumstances (a) primary care trusts and (b) social services departments pay the full cost of the care they commission; and what steps she is taking to ensure this is the case. [83106]
Andy
Burnham: This is dependent on the terms on which
commissioners have contracted with providers locally. The payment by
results (PbR) system will help
to ensure a fairer and more consistent basis for paying national health
service trusts and foundation trusts. Funding is negotiated locally or
through national procurement exercises for services outside the scope
of PbR, including all NHS services commissioned from independent and
voluntary sector providers. In contracting for services outside the
scope of PbR the onus is on the provider to reflect the full cost of
these in their pricing and recover from the responsible primary care
trust or social services department in accordance with the agreed
contract
terms.
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much of the total health service expenditure in (a) Hillingdon and (b) Greater London was spent directly on (i) health care, (ii) administration and (iii) prescriptions in each of the last 10 years. [86477]
Andy Burnham: The table shows data for 1998-98 to 2004-05, which are the earliest and latest years for which this information is available. Data given is the purchase of health care and expenditure on administration and prescribing costs by primary care trusts (PCTs), health authorities (HAs) and strategic health authorities (SHAs). Hillingdon expenditure is the expenditure by Hillingdon HA for 1998-99 and 1999-2000, by Hillingdon HA and Hillingdon PCT for 2000-01 to 2001-02, and by Hillingdon PCT for 2002-03 to 2004-05. London expenditure is the expenditure by the previous HAs, current and previous PCTs and the previous five SHAs within the London area.
| Expenditure in Hillingdon and London | |||
| £000 | |||
| Purchase of health care | Administration | Prescribing costs | |
| Notes: 1. Prescribing costs—the Prescription Pricing Authority accounted for an element of prescribing costs in 1998-99; it is not possible to include this expenditure. Prescribing costs are also included within the purchase of health care expenditure. 2. Administration—figures relating to administration costs are not available for 2002-03. The method of calculating administration costs was changed for 2004-05. 3. Figures shown for purchase of health care are not the total expenditure, because expenditure accounted for by the Dental Practice Board and Prescription Pricing Authority is excluded. This expenditure cannot be included within figures for individual health bodies as they are not included in commissioner accounts. Sources: Audited annual accounts of London health authorities 1998-99. Audited London health authority summarisation forms 1999-2000 to 2001-02. Audited London strategic health authority summarisation forms 2002-03 to 2004-05. Audited London primary care trust summarisation schedules 2000-01 to 2004-05. Annual financial returns of London strategic health authorities and primary care trusts 2004-05. | |||
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the year-end financial position was for (a) Hillingdon Hospital, (b) the Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Trust and (c) Hillingdon Primary Care Trust in each of the last five financial years. [86480]
Andy Burnham: The data requested is shown in the table.
| £000 | |||||
| Final outturn surplus/(deficit) | |||||
| 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | |
Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment her Department has made of (a) the extent of the establishment of marketing departments in the NHS as a consequence of the extension of patient choice and (b) the extent to which NHS providers are asserting their intellectual property rights over specialisms rather than sharing their expertise as a consequence of the new commercial environment. [85974]
Andy Burnham: The Department has made no assessment of the extent of the establishment of marketing departments in the national health service nor the extent to which NHS providers are asserting their intellectual property rights.
Mr. Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS senior staff have resigned from NHS trusts within North Staffordshire in the last 12 months; and where in the UK they have indicated that they are taking new jobs. [87397]
Caroline Flint: The information requested is not held centrally.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health to which NHS trusts turnaround teams were sent during the last 12 months; when the review and audit took place; which company undertook the review and audit; and what the total cost of the review and audit was in each case (a) to the NHS, (b) to the trust and (c) to other contributors. [87447]
Andy Burnham: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State announced the turnaround teams in a written ministerial statement on 1 December 2005, Official Report, column 37WS.
The following national health service trusts were assessed by KPMG:
| Organisation | Phase | Ranking |
Information on costs is being presented to the Health Select Committee during July and October.
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many administrative and managerial staff have been employed by (a) each of the primary care trusts in Gloucestershire and (b) the Hospital Trust in Gloucestershire in each year of their existence; what the cost has been of that employment; and if she will make a statement. [74261]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The following tables show the amount of administrative and managerial staff employed at all primary care trusts (PCTs) and hospital trusts in Gloucestershire.
| Number | |||
| PCT name | Cheltenham and Tewkesbury | Cotswold and Vale | West Gloucestershire |
| Primary care trust staff costs: administrative and managers | |||
| £000 | |||
| PCT name | Cheltenham and Tewkesbury | Cotswold and Vale | West Gloucestershire |
| National health service trust staff numbers: administration and estates | ||||
| Number | ||||
| NHS trust name | East Gloucestershire | Gloucestershire Hospitals | Gloucestershire Royal | Severn |
| NHS trust staff costs: administrative and managers | ||||
| £000 | ||||
| NHS trust name | East Gloucestershire | Gloucestershire Hospitals | Gloucestershire Royal | Severn |
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) stroke and (b) heart attack patients have died on the way to hospital in a North West ambulance service NHS trust ambulance in each of the last five years; and how long the journey was in (i) miles and (ii) minutes on each occasion. [89040]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The information requested is not held centrally.
John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which primary care trusts are not providing medical treatment to patients with a body mass index in excess of 30; and if she will make a statement. [81113]
Caroline Flint: The Department does not collect this information.
Laura Moffatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research she has evaluated on (a) the effectiveness of measures to identify patients at risk of osteoporosis and (b) the treatment of osteoporosis by primary care organisations; and if she will make a statement. [81622]
Andy Burnham: None. The Department has not commissioned research in this area, nor are we aware that any such research has been undertaken.
Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the cost implications of the implementation of the new National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidance for the prevention of osteoporatic fractures. [89071]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: We have commissioned the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) to produce a guideline on the
“assessment of fracture risk and the prevention of osteoporotic fractures in individuals at high risk”.
Colin Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what work her Department has undertaken (a) to develop a process for primary care trusts, NHS trusts and foundation trusts to assess best value when outsourcing service provision and (b) to develop criteria for trusts to evaluate work that has been outsourced. [85280]
Ms Rosie Winterton: On 13 July, the Department published Health reform in England: update and commissioning framework, which outlines the role of primary care trusts (PCTs) in commissioning services. The framework makes clear that, where provision is either unavailable or failing to meet required standards, PCTs will be encouraged to use open tendering as a way of ensuring innovation, quality, value and choice for patients.
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to change the powers of local authority overview and scrutiny committees; and if she will make a statement. [84857]
Ms Rosie Winterton: There are no plans to change the statutory powers of overview and scrutiny committees. “A stronger local voice” sets out Government’s plans for the future of patient and public involvement, which includes encouraging overview and scrutiny committees to focus on how health and social services are commissioned.
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the allocation of £12 million for 2006-07 will be released for the NHS end of life care programme and the gold standards framework in community palliative care. [89132]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Government have provided £12 million of funding for the end of life care programme, to be spread out over the three years from 2004 to 2007. In 2006-07, the funding will be included as part of a block sum for strategic health authorities to manage. To ensure the desired outcomes are achieved, this will be accompanied by a service level agreement.
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she will answer parliamentary written questions (a) 82270, (b) 82271, (c) 82272 and (d) 82273, on telephones in hospitals, tabled by the hon. Member for Westmorland and Lonsdale for answer on 3 July. [87142]
Andy Burnham: Replies were given on 24 July and on 18 July, Official Report, columns 385-86W.
Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the London strategic health authorities have been requested to produce an action plan to ensure an increased level of patient satisfaction with their perception of levels of care. [86684]
Andy Burnham: The London strategic health authority (SHA) has commissioned a study to establish the public perception of the national health service in London and intends to use the results to target areas for improved performance.
Mr. Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she has reviewed the findings of the survey undertaken by Patient and Public Involvement Forums into the costs associated with personal bedside telephone services in NHS hospitals; and if she will make a statement. [86373]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Department has set up a review group to explore the issue of costs to users of the bedside television and telephone systems in national health service hospitals. The patient and public involvement forums findings will form part of the review group’s work.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress she has made in establishing an expanding practice allowance. [84463]
Ms Rosie Winterton: We are currently working with NHS Employers to develop the new allowance proposed in paragraph 3.33 of the White Paper “Our Health Our Care Our Say”.
Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures her Department has put in place to improve the delivery of information to prostate cancer sufferers about relevant cancer support. [86683]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Department is clear about the need for all cancer patients to be able to access up-to-date and accessible information about their condition and that is why we are working closely with cancer charities to improve services. This is being facilitated by the coalition for cancer information, set up by the Department in 2002 bringing together key organisations to develop a coordinated approach to provision and dissemination of information.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many public appointments are within her patronage; what (a) salary and (b) other emoluments are attached to each; and what the comparable figures were in (i) 1976, (ii) 1986 and (iii) 1996. [83178]
Andy Burnham: Details of the public appointments to public bodies sponsored by the Department can be found in ‘Public Bodies’, copies of which are in the Library. ‘Public Bodies’ has been published annually since 1980 and the most recent edition provides figures for 2005. Each edition of ‘Public Bodies’ contains details on the number of public appointments and remuneration details for that particular year. Comparable information for 1976 in respect of the Department could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
www.appointments.org.uk/publications.asp
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patient and public involvement forums have objected to proposed re-configurations of hospitals and hospital services in each year since 2003. [83843]
Ms Rosie Winterton: This information is not collected centrally.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to her Department's list of organisations consulted on religious issues affecting matters concerning her Department, what assessment she has made of the extent to which the Network of Buddhist Organisations is representative of that faith's adherents; and if she will make a statement. [85934]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Department has made no such assessment. The Network of Buddhist Organisations is one of a range of faith organisations that the Department consults with on relevant issues. For example, the Network of Buddhist Organisations is a member of independently formed multi-faith group which the Department maintains close contact with as part of our commitment to a multi-faith approach to NHS Chaplaincy.
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of rural households had access to primary health care facilities within 4 km, not including mobile provision and branch services, in each year since 1997. [85132]
Andy Burnham: This information is not held centrally by the Department.
Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 16 June 2006, Official Report, column 1568W, on Sheppey community hospital, if she will clarify when the new x-ray scanner will be installed and operational. [89039]
Caroline Flint: The NHS South East Coast has advised that at a meeting held on 12 July at Sheppey hospital, details for the installation of the new X-ray scanner were finalised. An agreement was reached to dismantle the old equipment during the week commencing 17 July 2006 and it is anticipated that installation of the new machine will start once this has been completed. Installation will take around three weeks from start to finish.
Dr. Desmond Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of patients with relevant conditions use silver alloy catheters; and what savings have been identified as a result of their use. [86405]
Andy Burnham: The data requested are not collected centrally.
(1 )The epic project. Updating the evidence base for national evidence based guidelines for preventing health care associated infections in NHS hospital in England: a report with recommendations. Pellowe CM, Pratt RJ, Loveday HP, Harper P, Robinson N, Jones SRLJ. Brit J Infect Control 2004; 5: 10-16.
Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the Answer of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster to Question 80515, how many days a year were expected from Sir Alistair Graham as a member of the (a) NHS Appointments Commission and (b) West Yorkshire strategic health authority. [85983]
Andy Burnham: Sir Alistair Graham would have been expected to work in the order of 150 days a year for each of the NHS Appointments Commission and the West Yorkshire Strategic Health Authority. These appointments did not run concurrently.
Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 20 June 2006, Official Report, column 1816, on the Skipton Fund, whether (a) a panel has been appointed to hear appeals to the Skipton Fund and (b) a timetable has been set for the commencement of appeals to the Skipton Fund; and if she will make a statement. [87380]
Caroline Flint: The NHS Appointments Commission (NHSAC) will be interviewing further candidates for the Skipton Fund appeals panel at the end of this month, as no applications for two of the positions had been received by the original closing date. The recommendations of the interviewing panel will then be forwarded for consideration by the NHSAC board. Once the panel has been appointed, the timetable for hearing appeals will be arranged by the panel chair and the secretariat.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made since the Department published its policy guidance entitled Keeping the NHS Local—A New Direction of Travel in respect of the protection and enhancement of small acute hospitals located remotely from larger district general hospitals. [87463]
Andy Burnham: Following “Keeping the NHS Local” the Department has worked to support strategic health authorities (SHAs) in their work with the local national health service in designing new models of service within the policy framework, especially about undertaking effective public engagement and consultation.
“community facilities should not be lost in response to short-term budgetary pressures that are not related to the viability of the community facility itself”.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many small acute hospitals have been (a) subject to a withdrawal of emergency facilities, (b) subject to a reduction of acute facilities, (c) closed, (d) proposed for closure, (e) subject to an overall closure in emergency facilities and (f) subject to an overall closure in acute facilities since the publication of the policy guidance Keeping the NHS Local—A New Direction of Travel. [87488]
Andy Burnham: This information is not held by the Department.
Derek Conway: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time stipendiary chaplains are working in the national health service in England; how many are (i) Christian, (ii) Jewish, (iii) Muslim, (iv) Hindu, (v) Sikh, and (vi) of other religions; and what the total cost was to public funds of providing NHS chaplaincy services in the last year for which figures are available. [87324]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Department does not collect data on NHS hospital chaplaincy.
Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what action her Department (a) has taken and (b) plans to take to encourage the wearing of sunglasses; [85967]
Caroline Flint: The Health Protection Agency’s (then national radiological protection board) advisory group on non-ionising radiation (AGNIR) produced a report in 2002 on the effects of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) on human health, which included advice on effects on the eye. The main source of UVR for the majority of people is the sun.
Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of her Department’s expenditure in 2006-07 is expected to be spent on treatments and care provided by the third sector; and what that figure is expected to be by 2009. [85910]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The information requested is not available centrally.
Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of staff her Department expects to move across to the third sector from their current employment with the NHS by the end of 2010. [85911]
Ms Rosie Winterton: As we noted in ‘Health Reform in England: update and commissioning framework’, published on 13 July 2006, many third sector providers are vital partners in delivery of care. Our policy is to support greater participation by third sector organisations where they can help deliver better services with better value for money.
Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the (a) estimated adult intake of trans fatty acids and (b) recommended maximum threshold for health was in each year that records are available. [86103]
Caroline Flint: The most recent data available, from national diet and nutrition survey of adults carried out in 2000-01, shows average intakes of trans fatty acids at 1.2 per cent. of food energy. Previous comparable data from 1986-87 show adult average intakes of trans fatty acids at 2.2 per cent, of food energy.
Mr. Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many consultations concerning reconfiguration of hospital trusts in England have (a) been referred to her Department and (b) subsequently been upheld by her Department in each of the last five years. [86729]
Andy Burnham: There has been one referral from a Community Health Council and 16 primary care trust (PCT) and trust referrals from overview and scrutiny committees to the Secretary of State for Health in relation to contested service reconfigurations. The table sets out the outcome in each case.
| Number of referrals | Outcome |
Ministerial decision to support changes referred for consideration | |
Referred back for national health service and stakeholders to reach local agreement | |
Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps her Department is taking to ensure that administrative costs paid to Charles Russell solicitors for their administration of the vCJD compensation scheme are kept as low as possible; and if she will make a statement. [86539]
Caroline Flint: The vCJD Trust has appointed the legal firm, Charles Russell, to provide support. The trust is independent of the Department and these arrangements, and their costs, are therefore the responsibility of the trust. Both the Department and the trust agree on the importance of minimising costs wherever possible.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people are on NHS waiting lists in Southend-on-Sea for (a) elective surgery and (b) out-patient appointments; what the (i) average and (ii) longest wait was in each case in 2005-06; and if she will make a statement. [87316]
Andy Burnham: Waiting times figures for Southend-on-Sea Primary Care Trust, the latest available are shown in the table.
| In-patient | Out-patient | |
No patients waited longer than six months or 13 weeks.
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what factors were taken into account when the decision was made to abolish the post of ward sister; and if she will make a statement. [85430]
Ms Rosie Winterton: There has been no decision to abolish the post of ward sister. Some trusts have chosen to call ward sisters by other names such as charge nurse or ward manager but the core components of the role have remained the same. Ward sisters are at the heart of delivering high quality care to patients in a variety of settings and they have a vital role within nursing.
Peter
Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for
Health how many written questions to her Department remain unanswered
at 25 July for (a) between two and four weeks, (b)
between four and six weeks, (c) between six
and eight weeks and (d) more than eight weeks; and how many in
each category were tabled for named day answer.
[87921]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: This session, we have received over 13,000 questions for written answer. As at today, there are 26 written questions unanswered for between two and four weeks, 11 for between four and six weeks, five for between six and eight weeks, and seven more than eight weeks. None were questions tabled for answer on a named day.
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many finished consultant episodes there were at York NHS Trust (a) in each specialty and (b) in total excluding the specialties transferred to Selby and York Primary Care Trust in each year since 1996-97. [87134]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The information is not available in the format requested. However, finished consultant episodes at York Hospitals NHS Trust in each specialty are shown in the table.
| Main specialty | 2004-05 | 2003-04 | 2002-03 | 2001-02 | 2000-01 | 1999-2000 | 1998-99 | 1997-98 | 1996-97 |
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many full-time equivalent (a) medical consultants, (b) other medical staff, (c) nurses, (d) other professional staff, (e) administrative and clerical staff and (f) auxiliary staff were employed by York NHS Trust in all areas excluding those transferred to Selby and York Primary Care Trust in each year since 1996-97. [87135]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The information has been set out in the table.
| NHS hospital and community health services: Medical and dental and non-medical staff in York Hospitals NHS Trust by specified staff groups data as at 30 September each year full time equivalent | |||||||||
| 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | |
| Sources: 1. The Information Centre for health and social care Medical and Dental Workforce Census 2. The Information Centre for health and social care Non-Medical Workforce Census | |||||||||
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting times for (a) elective in-patient admissions and (b) first out-patient appointments were in each specialty at York NHS trust in each year since 1996-97. [87136]
Andy Burnham: The information requested is in the following tables.
| Out-patient waiting times for York Health Services Trust 1997 to 2006, median waiting time for first out-patient appointment from a general practitioner referral to a consultant | ||||||
| Weeks | ||||||
| Speciality | ||||||
| Quarter ending March | Anaesthetics | Dermatology | General surgery | Urology | Trauma and orthopaedics | Ear, nose and throat |
| Weeks | ||||||
| Speciality | ||||||
| General medicine | Genito-urinary medicine | Oral surgery | Geriatric medicine | Neurology | Obstetrics and gynaecology (obstetrics A/N) | |
| Weeks | ||||||
| Speciality | ||||||
| Obstetrics and gynaecology (gynaecology) | Ophthalmology | Orthodontics | Paediatrics | Rheumatology | Total | |
| Note: Only includes specialties with over 100 patients Source: Department of Health QM08 | ||||||
13. Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps she is taking to help bring about the reunification of Cyprus. [87881]
Mr. Hoon: We fully support the UN’s efforts and welcome the recent agreement between the two leaders on a mechanism for dialogue. We are urging both sides to take advantage of this opportunity, and working within the Security Council to ensure its full support for these efforts.
14. Mr. Piara S. Khabra: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance the UK Government are providing to the relatives of the victims of the bombings in Mumbai and the Government of India in its fight against terrorism. [87882]
Mr. McCartney: Clearly our thoughts are with the relatives and friends of those killed and injured in these barbaric attacks. Following the explosions the Prime Minister spoke to Dr. Manmohan Singh. Both the PM and our Deputy High Commissioner in Mumbai offered the Indian Government any assistance that might be required in the aftermath of these attacks. We are currently awaiting India’s response.
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions she has had with representatives from the (a) Indian and (b) Pakistani Governments regarding the Mumbai bombings. [87969]
Dr. Howells: UK officials here and in India have been in detailed discussions with the Indian authorities following the bombings. We have made offers of assistance to the Indian Government but to date they have not come back with any specific requests.
15. Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations she has made to the Government of Israel on the situation in the Middle East. [87883]
Dr. Howells: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary is engaged actively in the situation in the Middle East and will be attending the Lebanon Core Group meeting in Rome tomorrow. She has been in regular contact with Israeli Foreign Minister Livni and, in close communication with my right hon. Friend, since Friday 21 July I have attended meetings in Cyprus, Beirut, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, Ramallah and Amman.
16. Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on the prospects for peace in the Middle East. [87884]
Dr. Howells: Whilst we need an urgent end to the current crisis, real peace can only come through a lasting settlement. Negotiations are manifestly the best way to move the peace process forward. We welcome the commitment given by both Israeli Prime Minister Olmert and Palestinian President Abbas to negotiations and have urged both sides to resume talks. We do, however, remain acutely concerned at Syrian and Iranian support for Hizbollah and other extremist groups.
20. Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on the security situation in the Middle East. [87888]
Dr. Howells: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary gave today to my hon. Friend the Member for Hartlepool (Mr. Wright).
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions (a) Ministers and (b) officials have had with the ambassadors of the Government of (i) Syria, (ii) Lebanon and (iii) Iran about Hezbollah terrorists firing rockets into the state of Israel; what reply was received in each case; and if she will make a statement. [87102]
Mr. Hoon: My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has been in contact with his Lebanese counterpart to offer his support. As he told the House on 18 July
“I have spoken to the Prime Minister of Lebanon. I think Lebanon is looking for international help. The precise way in which that is used and the implications for its own armed forces are matters for debate. I believe the Prime Minister of Lebanon wants to do the right thing. The people around him are desperate for some stability in their country and they feel very angry that they are caught in the present situation. We should be helping them in any way we can”.
Our ambassador in Beirut has also been in regular contact with the Lebanese Government.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what (a) discussions and (b) representations (i) Ministers and (ii) officials have had with governments of the European Union about Hezbollah terrorism; and if she will make a statement. [87103]
Mr. Hoon: At the General Affairs and External Relations Council on 17 July, EU Foreign Ministers condemned the attacks by Hezbollah on Israel and the abduction of two Israeli soldiers and called for their immediate and unconditional release and for the cessation of all attacks on Israeli towns and cities. They also recalled the need for the Lebanese state to restore its sovereignty over the whole of its national territory and to do its utmost to prevent such attacks, and expressed their support for Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora. They also urged the full implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1559 and UNSCR 1680, including disbanding and disarming of all Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias, and strict respect of the sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity and political independence of Lebanon. In the past, Ministers and officials have regularly discussed Hezbollah with EU colleagues.
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support she has offered to the high-level UN delegation to the Middle East UN mission; what its aims are; and when its mission will end. [87555]
Margaret Beckett: We fully support the UN delegation to the Middle East and are offering the team logistical assistance on the ground. We flew the delegates to and from Beirut from UK airbases. The role of the three person team, led by the UN Secretary-General’s Special Political Adviser, Mr. Vijay Nambiar, is to help defuse the major crisis in the region. The other members are UN Envoy for the Middle East Mr. Alvaro de Soto and UN Special Envoy for the implementation of Security Council resolution 1559 (2004) Mr. Terje Roed Larsen. The UN mission will deliver to all parties the UN Secretary-General’s call to exercise restraint and to do whatever possible to help contain the conflict. It will also reiterate the UN Secretary-General’s message to respect international humanitarian law and to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure. We expect a briefing in the Security Council from Mr. Nambiar on 20 July and to hear from the UN Secretary-General’s recommendations on next steps.
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the humanitarian situation in Gaza. [87558]
Margaret Beckett: We continue to have concerns about the humanitarian situation in Gaza. Electricity and water supplies remain irregular. In a statement on 19 July, the Israel Defence Force said it opened two crossings into Gaza. 145 food trucks entered Gaza through the Karni crossing, and 500,000 litres of diesel fuel, 90,000 litres of gasoline and 175 tons of cooking gas were allowed through the Nahal Oz crossing. In addition to this, the Rafah Crossing was opened on 18 July to allow 5,000 Palestinians to cross from Egypt into Gaza.
Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 5 July 2006, Official Report, columns 1158-59W, on Israel, whether any information has come to light that (a) military equipment and (b) components supplied by the UK have been deployed by Israel during its operations in (i) Gaza since 27 June 2006 and (ii) in Lebanon since 12 July 2006 in a manner consistent with the consolidated criteria. [87752]
Mr.
Hoon: We have no reports of the use of UK supplied
equipment. Our embassy in Tel Aviv continues to monitor the situation
in the region closely. All applications for export licences are
assessed rigorously on a case by case basis against
the
Consolidated Criteria taking full account of the prevailing
circumstances at the time of application and other relevant announced
government
policies.
Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the level of stability in the Middle East; and if she will make a statement. [87872]
Margaret Beckett: We are gravely concerned by the crisis in Lebanon. Syrian and Iranian support for Hezbollah, and other extremist groups, is encouraging extremism, threatening the stability of the region, and putting peace in the Middle East further out of reach. We call on Syria and Iran to stop their support for Hizbollah and end their interference in Lebanese internal affairs in accordance with UN Security Council Resolutions 1559 and 1680.
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on steps the Government are taking to try to bring an end to violence in the Middle East. [87898]
Mr. Hoon: Both my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary have been in regular contact with their Israeli, Palestinian and Lebanese counterparts and we are working closely with international partners in the region, and the UN, EU and G8. The framework for resolving these disputes is already established by international consensus. We will remain actively engaged with our international partners to help bring peace to the region.
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on the situation in Gaza. [87899]
Mr. Hoon: There has been intense international activity to try to bring about a cessation of the current crisis in Gaza and the resumption of negotiations. High-level delegations from both the EU and the UN have been to both Israel and Palestine in the past two weeks. The Governments of Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Turkey have made strenuous efforts to persuade the militants holding the kidnapped Israeli soldier to release him.
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on new mechanisms for funding the Palestinians. [87900]
Mr. Hoon: We remain fully committed to supporting the Temporary International Mechanism (TIM). The European Commission has committed €105 million to the mechanism. In addition, the UK intends to contribute up to £12 million. We are aware that several other European countries are considering making contributions. This will enable us to provide support in the health sector, to fund utilities and to give welfare allowances to some of the poorest Palestinians. In line with the commitments made at the G8 Summit in St. Petersburg on 16 July and by EU Foreign Ministers on 17 July, we and the European Commission are looking at options to further expand the TIM.
Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the level of financial support provided by (a) Iran and (b) Syria to Hezbollah. [88264]
Margaret Beckett: We are very concerned about the role of Syria and Iran in Lebanon. Iran supplies Hizballah with financing and weapons—weapons very similar to those used against British troops in Basra—and has personnel in Lebanon assisting Hizbollah. Syria finances Hizballah and facilitates the transfer of arms from Iran to Hizballah.
Dr. Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment her Department has made of the humanitarian consequences in Gaza of (a) the withholding of the Palestinian tax revenue by Israel and (b) the suspension of international aid. [88389]
Dr.
Howells: We continue to have serious concerns about the
humanitarian situation in Gaza. Electricity and water supplies remain
irregular. In a statement on 19 July, the Israel Defence Force said it
had opened two
crossings into Gaza. 145 food trucks entered Gaza through the Kami
crossing, and 500,000 litres of diesel fuel, 90,000 litres of gasoline
and 175 tons of cooking gas were allowed through the Nahal Oz crossing.
In addition to this, the Rafah Crossing was opened on 18 July
to allow 5,000 Palestinians to cross from Egypt into
Gaza.
18. Mr. Andrew Pelling: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on progress towards disarming of the Janjaweed in Darfur. [87886]
Mr. McCartney: On 23 June, the Government of Sudan publicly began disarming the Janjaweed/armed militias. This is only the first step and needs to be followed by further action. We are pushing for the publication by the Government of a structured disarmament plan, which it is required to provide under the Darfur Peace Agreement.
22. Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on the political situation in Darfur. [87890]
Mr. McCartney: The Darfur Peace Agreement remains the only vehicle for a quick return to normality in the region. We call on the non-signatories to support the agreement. We also call on the Government of Sudan and Minni Minawi to find ways of encouraging the non-signatories to come on board, including by implementing the agreement in a way that benefits all the people of Darfur.
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on progress made towards (a) the imposition of a travel ban on and (b) the freezing of assets of those impeding the peace process in Sudan. [79922]
Margaret Beckett: All sides are responsible for crimes in Darfur. The UK has taken a lead in supporting sanctions for Sudan. We co-sponsored UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1591 which allowed the Security Council to impose sanctions on anyone who impedes the peace process in Darfur. We also co-sponsored UNSCR 1672, adopted on 25 April this year, imposing targeted sanctions on four individuals from all sides to the conflict. This sends a clear message that the Security Council will not tolerate violations of human rights or other such actions in Darfur.
17. Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions she has had with the Government of Iran about support for Hezbollah; and if she will make a statement. [87885]
Dr. Howells: On 21 July officials at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office met the Iranian Ambassador in London. During their discussions they repeated our call for Iran, and Syria, to stop their support for Hezbollah and end their interference in Lebanese internal affairs in accordance with UN Security Council Resolutions 1559 and 1680. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not herself discussed this with Iran.
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his assessment is of which countries supply dual-use technology to Iran; and if he will make a statement. [68203]
Margaret Beckett: Many types of equipment and technology can have more than one use. Many countries, including the UK and other EU member states, make provision for licensing the export of dual use goods to Iran where this would not raise significant proliferation or other concerns. We work through the multilateral export control regimes and through bilateral contacts to ensure as many countries as possible apply close scrutiny to all such exports in order to ensure compliance with the obligations undertaken under the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty.
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what her latest assessment is of the threat posed to regional security by Iran's nuclear programme. [80280]
Mr. Hoon [holding answer 28 June 2006]: The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East would pose a serious threat to regional peace and stability, as well as to the multilateral non-proliferation regime.
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the UK is taking towards ensuring that Iran does not acquire nuclear weapons; and if she will make a statement. [80281]
Mr. Hoon [holding answer 28 June 2006]: We remain deeply concerned that Iran is continuing uranium enrichment-related and reprocessing activities, which will enable it to develop the know- how to produce fissile material suitable for use in nuclear weapons, despite the requirement of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors and the UN Security Council that these activities should be suspended.
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on Iran's referral to the Security Council. [87897]
Dr. Howells: On 29 March, the President of the Security Council issued a statement agreed by consensus. This called on Iran to co-operate fully with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and take the steps identified as essential by the IAEA Board of Governors, including reinstating a full suspension of all uranium enrichment related and reprocessing activities.
19. Mr. Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions she has had with the Government of Lebanon about the current Israeli attacks and incursions into Lebanon. [87887]
Dr. Howells: My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has been in contact with his Lebanese counterpart to offer support. As he told the House on 18 July
“I have spoken to the Prime Minister of Lebanon. I think Lebanon is looking for international help. I believe the Prime Minister of Lebanon wants to do the right thing. The people around him are desperate for some stability in their country and they feel very angry that they are caught in the present situation”.
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what her latest assessment is of the situation in Israel and Lebanon. [87896]
Mr. Hoon: We are gravely concerned by the crisis in Lebanon. It is causing great harm to the civilian populations on both sides and threatens the wider security of the region. We are seriously concerned by the numbers of deaths, casualties and displaced persons that have been caused as a result of this conflict. We continue to appeal to both sides to act with utmost restraint.
Dr. Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have taken place between her Department and the Israeli authorities since the invasion of Lebanon. [88387]
Dr. Howells: My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister spoke to the Israeli Prime Minister Olmert on 18 July. On 25 June, 6, 13 and 18 July my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary spoke to Israeli Foreign Minister Livni. On 18 July she also spoke to the Israeli ambassador, Zvi Heifetz. During my visit to the region on 22-24 July, I spoke to Israeli Foreign Minister Livni.
Dr. Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what actions her Department has taken to seek an end to Israeli military action in (a) Gaza and (b) Lebanon. [88388]
Dr. Howells: We are working closely with international partners in the region, the UN, EU and G8, towards a ceasefire. Both my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary have been in regular contact with their counterparts in the region. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister spoke to the Lebanese Prime Minister on 13 July and to Israeli Prime Minister Olmert on 18 July. On 25 June, and on 6, 13 and 18 July my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary spoke to Israeli Foreign Minister Livni. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary also spoke to Palestinian President Abbas on 25 June and 6 July. During my visit to the region on 22 July, I met with Lebanese Prime Minister Siniora, Foreign Minister Salloukh and others. On 22 July I met Palestinian President Abbas and Israeli Foreign Minister Livni to raise our concerns.
Kitty Ussher: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will call for an immediate ceasefire of Israeli attacks on Lebanon. [88547]
Dr. Howells: We are working urgently with international partners towards a ceasefire. But it is crucial that any ceasefire is durable.
“this conflict is most easily ended by the undoing of what started it: Hezbollah should hand back the kidnapped Israeli soldiers immediately.”
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs by what date the Foreign Office expects to evacuate all British citizens from Lebanon who wish to leave the country. [88827]
Dr. Howells: Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) staff coordinated with the Ministry of Defence the evacuation of some 4,600 people from Lebanon. Around half of these were flown on to the UK at their request; others have gone on to other destinations. This evacuation was widely publicised in Lebanon at the time; the last scheduled UK departure was 22 July, because the British embassy in Beirut and all of those involved in evacuating British nationals judged that the numbers wishing to leave had shrunk almost to nothing.
21. Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions the Quartet group has had on Israel’s military incursions in Gaza. [87889]
Dr. Howells: Although the Quartet has not met formally to discuss the current situation in the Middle East, members have remained in regular contact. Most recently, Quartet members attended the G8 Summit in St. Petersburg on 16 July arid EU Foreign Ministers met in Brussels on 17 July. All Quartet members remain actively engaged to resolve the situation.
23. Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on the political situation in Iraq. [87891]
Dr.
Howells: The recent increase in violence in Iraq is of
great concern. We need to see a halt to the round of revenge killings.
Successfully tackling the issues driving the violence requires
sustained commitment and strong leadership from the Iraqi Government
and key political
and community leaders. The Prime Minister discussed this with Iraqi
Prime Minister during his visit here on 24 July. We are giving his
Government our full support.
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his answer of 13 July 2005, Official Report, column 1122W, on Iraq, if he will place the written material prepared by oil advisers seconded by the Government to the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq in the Library. [66779]
Mr. Hoon: These documents have been placed in the Library of the House and I will arrange for copies to be sent to my hon. Friend.
Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to her answer of 5 June 2006, Official Report, columns 327-8W, on Iraq, what form local government takes in each governorate; what powers it has; what responsibility it takes for local reconstruction; what role it has in the delivery of security; and what assessment the Government have made of its democratic accountability. [85599]
Margaret Beckett: Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) Order 71 sets out the composition and powers delegated to local government. Copies of this are available at the following website at:
http://cpa-iraq.org/regulations/20040406_CPAORD_71_Local_Governmental_Powers_.pdf.
raise revenue from taxes;
plan/implement investment projects approved by the Provincial Reconstruction and Development Committee (including in partnership with international or non- governmental organisations); and
carry out other activities that are not exclusively reserved for central government (i.e. foreign policy, national security policy and fiscal and monetary policies).
Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to her answer of 5 June 2006, Official Report, columns 328-30W, on Iraq, what further progress has been made on achieving the milestones for police reform in the Iraqi provinces of (a) Al Basrah, (b) Al Muthanna, (c) Dhi Qar and (d) Maysan. [85600]
Margaret Beckett: Since my reply to the hon. Member ( Official Report, columns 328-30W), we have trained an additional 1,300 police officers in Basra, 154 in Muthanna and 607 in Maysan. Responsibility for policing in Dhi Qar continues to lie with the Italian contingent.
Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to her Answer of 5 June 2006, Official Report, column 328W, on Iraq, what progress has been made by the Joint Committee to Transfer Security Responsibility in Iraq; and what recommendations it has made on the provinces and provincial capitals ready for the transfer of security responsibilities. [85601]
Margaret Beckett: The Joint Committee to Transfer Security Responsibility recommended to the Prime Minister of Iraq, Mr Al-Maliki, and the Iraqi Ministerial Committee on National Security, that the Province of Al-Muthanna and the Provincial Capital of Samawah were ready to transfer to Iraqi security responsibility. The Government of Iraq announced that it agreed with this assessment on 19 June 2006. The security handover in Al-Muthanna took place on 13 July. The committee is now considering recommendations in respect of the handover of further areas to Iraqi provincial control.
Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to her Answer of 5 June 2006, Official Report, columns 326-7W, on Iraq, what progress has been made on the UK Government’s discussions with the Iraqi Government on the release of accurate and up-to-date figures on civilian deaths in Iraq. [85602]
Margaret
Beckett: Maintaining records of civilian deaths in Iraq is
a matter for the Government of Iraq. We continue to assess that there
are no entirely
accurate figures for civilian deaths in Iraq. Estimates vary according
to the method of
collection.
Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to her Answer of 5 June 2006, Official Report, column 327W, on Iraq, what the priorities and aims are of rule of law development in the Iraqi provinces of (a) Al Basrah, (b) Al Muthanna, (c) Dhi Qar and (d) Maysan; and what (i) human and (ii) financial resources the UK Government has committed to this development. [85603]
Margaret Beckett: The aim of the Government’s rule of law programmes in Muthanna, Maysan and Basra provinces in Southern Iraq is to assist in the development of efficient, effective, credible and community supported security forces and criminal justice institutions.
to develop the capacity of, and links between the different elements of the criminal justice system (police, prisons and judiciary);
to develop the ability of the Iraqi security forces to investigate and remove corrupt officers, investigate major crime and to use criminal intelligence;
to develop a model for these institutions which will allow an effective hand over responsibility for security to the Iraqis authorities.
Responsibility for policing in Dhi Qar lies with the Italian forces.
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many UK private security companies are operating in Iraq. [87937]
Dr.
Howells: There is no requirement for Private
Military/Security Companies (PMSCs) to register with our Embassy in
Baghdad and therefore the Government does not maintain precise figures
of the UK companies operating in Iraq. The non-governmental Private
Security Companies Association of Iraq (PSCAI) are aware of 141
companies that describe themselves as PMSC's operating in Iraq.
Of
these at least 14 are UK companies, in that they are registered under
Companies House as currently operating in the UK or the Crown
Dependencies.
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many licences have been issued by the Ministry of Interior in Iraq to UK private security firms in each of the last 12 months. [87938]
Dr. Howells: By the end of 2005, 37 private military/security companies (PMSC'S) of all nationalities were registered with the Iraqi Ministry of Interior. However, owing to changes in regulatory requirements from the Ministry of Interior all licences expired this year and were not renewed. The Ministry of Interior has issued new criteria and under these only three companies have been registered, all of which are Iraqi. Some UK PMSC's have applied under the new criteria and their licences are currently being processed.
Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many (a) foreign and (b) domestic journalists have been killed in Iraq in each month since March 2003, broken down by nationality. [88631]
Dr. Howells: We deplore the continuing violence in Iraq that is claiming the lives of many innocent people, including journalists who have been killed while carrying out their important work. The Government do not, however, collect statistics on civilian deaths in Iraq and we believe that there are no entirely accurate statistics on civilian casualties in Iraq over the past three years. We understand that the International Federation of Journalists produced a report detailing the journalists killed in Iraq for at least some of the period covered in question. This information can be found at www.ifj.org.
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who sits on the Afghanistan Provincial Reconstruction Team Executive Steering Council; what its objectives are; and how often it meets. [86534]
Margaret Beckett: The Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) Executive Steering Committee is co-chaired by the Minister of the Interior of the Afghan government, on behalf of the President, Commander of the International Security Assistance Force and Commander Coalition Forces Command—Afghanistan. The Committee's membership is completed by the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Reconstruction and Rural Development, the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General, the Senior Civilian Representative of the NATO Secretary General, the EU Special Representative, and Ambassadors of nations contributing or potentially contributing military or other resources to PRTs. Other Ministers of the Afghan government are invited by the chairs or attend as directed by the President.
The Committee meets every two months.
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements exist for the co-ordination of activities between provincial reconstruction teams, international organisations and non-governmental organisations in Afghanistan. [86538]
Margaret Beckett: There are many fora in Kabul that help to co-ordinate activity. The primary vehicle for co-ordination of international effort in Afghanistan is the Joint Co-ordination and Monitoring Board, which seeks to ensure implementation of the Afghanistan Compact. This body brings together all donors and international organisations active in helping to rebuild the country and extend the authority of the central government beyond Kabul. In addition, co-ordination between Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) and others engaged in the regions outside Kabul is managed by the PRT Executive Steering Committee.
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations she has received from the government of Afghanistan regarding (a) the level of police officers agreed in the Afghanistan Compact and (b) requests to increase the number of police officers beyond the target envisaged; and what the UK Government’s position is. [86540]
Margaret Beckett: To date, I have not received any representations from the Afghan government regarding the level of police officers set out in the Afghanistan Compact and the issue of increasing the target has not arisen.
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of (a) the level of support given to the insurgency in Afghanistan from external sources and (b) who these sources are; and what the Government’s policy is on the most effective approach to combat them. [86541]
Margaret Beckett: There is some indication that armed groups in Afghanistan receive financial and other support from a variety of sympathisers and associates. The Government seek to combat this in a number of ways. These include political dialogue with the relevant governments in an attempt to deny the supporters freedom of action, and support for those governments to develop the capacity of their law enforcement agencies.
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government were represented at the Second Tokyo Conference on the Consolidation of Peace in Afghanistan; what the UK goals for the conference were; and what assessment she has made of the outcome. [86554]
Margaret Beckett: Our Ambassador in Kabul led the UK delegation at the Second Conference on the Consolidation of Peace in Afghanistan, held in Tokyo on 5 July. Our goals for the conference were to reiterate the UK's support for security sector reform, to affirm support for the Disbandment of Illegal Armed Groups (DIAG) and to set out the UK's activity and achievements on counter-narcotics.
Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations she has made to President Karzai concerning the re-introduction of the Department for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice. [88810]
Dr. Howells: The Afghan Ministry of Hajj and Religious Affairs’ proposal for establishing a Department for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice was considered at Cabinet on 16 July 2006. This has now been referred to Parliament.
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on the conclusions of the 20 June meeting of the Consultative Task Force between the EU and Albania. [84214]
Margaret Beckett: The Consultative Task Force discussed freedom of expression, property restitution, electoral reform, human rights and minority rights. This is a Commission led meeting, with member states invited as observers.
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what (a) financial and (b) technical help is being given to Albania by (i) the EU and (ii) her Department for the purpose of tackling human trafficking in the country; and if she will make a statement; [84215]
Margaret Beckett: I take the trafficking of human beings and the wider issue of organised crime in Albania seriously. Working to reduce these activities is a priority.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many and what percentage of ambassadors were educated in (a) the state sector, (b) the private sector, (c) Oxford or Cambridge University and (d) other universities in each of the last 30 years. [80052]
Mr. Hoon: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s (FCO) current management information system does not hold education details on all our staff and it would take a disproportionate amount of time to collect the data requested.
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions she has had with her (a) EU and (b) US counterparts on reports of the disclosure of British and European financial transactions to the US intelligence services; and if she will make a statement. [86701]
Margaret Beckett [holding answer 20 July 2006]: It has been the policy of successive Governments not to comment on intelligence sources and methods. However, the Government support US efforts to target, disrupt and cut off sources of funding for terrorism.
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations she has received on the next financial grant to the British Council; and if she will make a statement. [88061]
Mr. Hoon: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has not received any representations about the next financial grant to the British Council. The future funding for the British Council will be taken forward within the context of the Comprehensive Spending Review.
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the cost was of (a) commissioning and (b) implementing the new British Council logo. [88063]
Mr. Hoon: The redesign of the British Council logo was part of a wider programme of rebranding the British Council. This included redesign of the British Council manual and guidelines, the imagebank, the intranet and extranet sites and the development of a bespoke font, unique to the British Council, which could be used in the UK and by offices overseas. The overall rebranding cost £120,000. Implementation costs were minimal as it took place in a phased manner as part of the standard programme of replacement of material and equipment and refurbishment of Council premises.
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what employment policy is operated by the British Council. [88064]
Mr. Hoon: The British Council's employment policies comply with all relevant legislation in the UK, or local legislation as applicable for staff employed outside the UK.
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 18 July 2005, Official Report, column 1369W, on Burma; if she will confirm that processing of Burmese (i) uranium and (ii) antimony takes place in (A) China, (B) North Korea, (C) Russia and (D) elsewhere. [88132]
Dr. Howells: While we are aware that processing of uranium and antimony takes place in China, North Korea and Russia as well as a number of other countries, we have no information regarding the export to or subsequent processing in any country of uranium or antimony from Burma.
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the total cost of the clean up to date at Chernobyl; and what the UK contribution has been to this work. [87725]
Mr. Hoon: The Government have no estimate of the total amount spent on the clean up following the Chernobyl accident.
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when she will respond to the letter dated 10 May sent to her by the hon. Member for Thurrock in relation to compensation. [75959]
Margaret Beckett [holding answer 8 June 2006]: I apologise for the delay in replying to my hon. Friend’s parliamentary questions and my hon. Friend’s letter of 10 May. I took additional advice on this matter and a reply has now been sent to my hon. Friend.
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when her Department will reply to the letter of 17 May from the hon. Member for Aylesbury on behalf of Mr P-K.E.E. of Aylesbury (reference 30131) which her ministerial correspondence unit sent to UK Visas on 28 June. [86004]
Dr. Howells [holding answer 17 July 2006]: UKvisas replied to the hon. Member on 25 May. A copy of this reply was faxed to the hon. Member’s office on 13 July.
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the UK’s contribution is to the funding of the Council of Europe; what percentage of the whole this figure represents; and what percentage is contributed by (a) France, (b) Germany, (c) Italy, (d) Spain and (e) Russia. [86720]
Mr. Hoon: The UK’s 2006 total contribution to the Council of Europe is €30,069,636.23. This is made up of €27,947,261.58 in assessed contributions and additional contributions to partial agreements totalling €2,122,374.95. The breakdown of the UK’s total contribution and the percentage of the whole are shown in the following table:
| UK Euro contribution | Percentage of whole | |
| Percentage of contributions | ||||||
| UK | France | Germany | Italy | Russia | Spain | |
Co-operation group to combat drug abuse and illicit trafficking (Pompidou) | ||||||
European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission) | ||||||
Mr. Gauke: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what factors were taken into account when granting Delwar Hossain Sayeedi permission to come to the United Kingdom. [86877]
Dr. Howells [holding answer 20 July 2006]: I cannot comment on individual cases. However, all applicants must meet the entry clearance criteria/ immigration controls, as set out on the UKvisas website at www.ukvisas.gov.uk.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many of the recruits to her Department were educated in (a) state schools, (b) private schools, (c) Oxford or Cambridge University and (d) other universities in each of the last 30 years. [80045]
Mr. Hoon: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO)'s current management information system does not hold educational details on all our staff and it would incur a disproportionate cost to collect the data requested.
careers fairs, such as the National Graduate Recruitment Exhibition which was held in Birmingham in June;
career Open Days, of which the next takes place on the 25 July;
work experience scheme;
in 2006 we have offered placements to approximately 45 persons from a range of backgrounds, including GCSE students, A-level students, undergraduate students and those in full-time employment.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the levels of expense allowances which are permitted at each of the diplomatic posts within the NATO Alliance and the European Union are; and what they were in May 1997. [87104]
Mr. Hoon: The following figures reflect entertainment expenditure for Heads of Mission in NATO and European Union capitals for the 1996-97 and 2005-06 financial years. Entertainment expense allowances (Frais) paid to Heads of Mission cover the cost of official entertainment and other representational expenditure (principally the running of the Head of Mission residence).
| NATO only | 1996-97 total | 2005-06 total |
| EU only | 1996-97 total | 2005-06 total |
| EU and NATO posts | 1996-97 total | 2005-06 total |
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action she is taking to encourage the revival of the Doha round of trade talks. [86769]
Mr. Hoon: The World Trade Organisation (WTO) negotiations remain high on the agenda for the Government and are discussed regularly in contacts with EU partners, the European Commission and other WTO Members. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister attended the G8 summit in St. Petersburg from 15-17 July and raised this issue with leaders from G8 and "+5" countries (Brazil, India, China, South Africa and Mexico). We welcome Pascal Lamy's attendance at the G8 summit and the statement by G8 leaders on the WTO negotiations and the process that has been agreed to take negotiations forward over the next month. The G8 Statement on Trade is available on the internet at the following address: http://en.g8russia.ru/docs/16.html.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions she has had with the Argentine Government on the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands. [87880]
Mr. Hoon: The UK has had no discussions with Argentina on the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands. We will not discuss the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands with Argentina unless and until such time as the Falkland Islanders so wish.
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which matches (a) she and (b) other Ministers in her Department attended at the FIFA World Cup 2006 in Germany in their ministerial capacity; at what cost to public funds; and with what contributions from third party organisations. [83619]
Mr. Hoon: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave today (UIN 73630).
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans (a) she and (b) Ministers in her Department have to attend matches at the FIFA World Cup 2006 in Germany. [73630]
Mr. Hoon: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary did not attend any games at the FIFA World Cup 2006.
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions she has had with her counterparts in (a) Libya, (b) Tunisia and (c) Algeria on their plans to tackle illegal immigration from North Africa to Europe. [80333]
Dr. Howells: [pursuant to the reply, 12 July 2006, Official Report, c.1912W]: I regret that an inaccurate answer was given to part of the hon. Member’s question. The answer given states that my right hon. Friend the Minister for Europe, Geoff Hoon, visited Algeria and Libya on 7-8 June and 25-27 respectively. In fact, I visited both countries on the specified dates.
Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the Department will reach a decision of the immigration application of Shaid Ian, ref: 3107 2668. [88323]
Dr. Howells: UKvisas does not have a record of any entry clearance application lodged by Shaid Ian, but would be pleased to follow this up with the hon. Member’s office if he is able to provide further information.
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what defence equipment has been provided to Israel from the (a) UK and (b) EU in the last five years. [87144]
Mr. Hoon: The UK publishes details of all export licences issued in its Annual (and now Quarterly) Reports on Strategic Export Controls. This includes a summary of goods by destination. All reports from 1997 can be found on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website at: http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Pagc&cid=1007029395474. The Annual Report on Strategic Export Controls for 2005 will be published later this month.
The EU also publishes an annual report on arms exports from EU member states.
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make it her policy to impose an embargo on arms exports to Israel. [88749]
Dr. Howells: With regard to Israel, as to all others countries, we will continue to assess rigorously all relevant export licence applications on a case by case basis against our EU and national arms export licensing criteria taking full account of the prevailing circumstances at the time of application and other announced Government policies. A licence will not be issued where to do so would be inconsistent with the criteria. The Government are proud of the UK's robust and transparent export licensing regime, which is among the best in the world.
Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what plans have been made to establish an EU mission in Kosovo; and what recent discussions she has had with her EU counterparts on such a mission; [87907]
(2) what plans have been made for the phasing out of the UN mission in Kosovo. [87908]
Mr. Hoon: The international presence in Kosovo after a status settlement will partly depend on the settlement itself. However, there is a broad consensus that when the UN Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) closes, the EU will take on a more substantive role. As a result, an EU Planning Team was established in April composed of experts in the fields of justice, police, civilian administration and general administrative issues. They will continue to prepare for a possible European Security and Defence Policy Mission in Kosovo and continue to report to the Council on a monthly basis.
Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what preparations have been made to allow for contractual relations between Kosovo and the EU. [87911]
Mr. Hoon: A UN-led process is currently under way aimed at achieving a final status settlement for Kosovo. However, the Contact Group Guiding Principles for a settlement on Kosovo's status envisage a settlement that contributes towards realising the European Perspective of Kosovo, in particular Kosovo's progress in the Stabilisation and Association Process, as part of the integration of the entire region in Euro-Atlantic institutions.
I also refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him today (UIN 87912).
Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans there are to establish a European Commission office in Pristina; and if she will make a statement. [87912]
Mr. Hoon: The European Commission has plans to establish an office in Pristina that will absorb the functions of the European Commission Liaison Office and the European Agency for Reconstruction already established there. The office will work closely with the local authorities and civil society to assist them with the European integration and reform agenda. It will also need to work closely with whatever international civilian presence is established following a status settlement.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many times her ministerial office has been decorated in each of the last five years. [87650]
Mr. Hoon: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary’s office has not been redecorated in the last five years.
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much it cost (a) him and (b) officials from his Department to fly to and from Russia for his recent visit. [28243]
Margaret Beckett: [pursuant to the reply, 16 November 2005, Official Report, c.1268W].
Mrs. Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what her Department's policy is on providing funding for members of the (a) Muslim Brotherhood and (b) Muslim Association of Britain. [86287]
Mr. Hoon [holding answer 18 July 2006]: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) does not provide funding for either organisation, although there may be occasions when those who are affiliated to the Muslim Brotherhood and the Muslim Association of Britain take part in FCO initiatives or events that involve a broad range of participants.
Mrs. Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Sheikh Yusuf al Qaradawi produced a report for the Foreign Office following his attendance at the Muslims of Europe Conference in Istanbul. [86286]
Mr. Hoon [holding answer 18 July 2006]: Sheikh Yusuf al Qaradawi has not produced any kind of report for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. He was one participant at a conference organised and led by a steering group of European Muslim scholars and civil society representatives. The output of the conference included a declaration and recommendations agreed by all its participants, including a strong renunciation of violence and terrorism. The full text is available at: www.muslimsofeurope.com/topkapi.php.
Mrs. Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what (a) financial and (b) other support was given to Sheikh Yusuf al Qaradawi and his family to attend the Muslims of Europe conference in Istanbul; and who authorised such support. [86288]
Mr. Hoon [holding answer 18 July 2006]: Ministers approved Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) funding for the Muslims of Europe Conference, which was organised by a steering group of European Muslims. The steering group invited a wide variety of Muslim scholars and civil society representatives, including Sheikh Al-Qaradawi. FCO support for the Conference included flight, food and accommodation costs for all participants, including Sheikh Al-Qaradawi and his wife who was acting as his assistant.
Mr.
Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for
Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on the
next steps towards the fulfilment of
the commitment in the G8 2004 Non-proliferation Action Plan towards a
mechanism for the reliable access of all countries to nuclear energy.
[87551]
Margaret Beckett: The UK is actively working with others to formulate appropriate incentives for countries to forego fuel-cycle facilities. The UK co-sponsored a concept paper presented at the last International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors’ meeting, 12-15 June 2006, that outlined a mechanism to provide reliable access to nuclear fuel. This paper will be the subject of further discussion during a special event to be held in the margins of the IAEA General Conference in September. We are also working with G8 partners towards more technically advanced solutions. These are outlined in the 2006 G8 Statement on Non-proliferation, which can be found at the following website: http://en.g8russia.ru/docs/20.html.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government’s policy is on potential sanctions against North Korea. [88804]
Dr. Howells: On 15 July the Security Council adopted resolution 1695 (2006) which, inter alia, imposes sanctions in relation to North Korea. The UK fully supported adoption of the resolution, which the UK cosponsored.
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether she has received representations from the office of the EU Commissioner for External Affairs indicating that a request has been made to the Budgetary Authority to transfer funds from the Emergency Reserve to the Temporary Mechanism to fund the Palestinian people; and if she will make a statement. [86545]
Margaret Beckett: We have received no representations from the EU Commissioner for External Affairs about this.
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when she will reply to (a) Question 75959, on compensation, tabled by the hon. Member for Thurrock on 5 June and (b) the letter of 10 May to which the Question refers; and what the reason has been for the delay in responding in each case. [86521]
Margaret Beckett [holding answer 8 June 2006]: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave today (UIN 75959).
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether she plans to publish a White Paper on the regulation of UK private security companies operating abroad. [87939]
Dr. Howells: In late 2004, my right hon. Friend the then Foreign Secretary (Mr. Straw) requested a review by officials of the options for the regulation of the overseas operations of private military and security companies (PMSCs) registered in or operating from the United Kingdom. The aim was to follow up on the Green Paper of 2002, Private Military Companies: Options for Regulation, and to respond to the increase in the activities of PMSCs in areas of conflict overseas. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary is currently discussing the review recommendations with Ministerial colleagues: the review highlighted complex issues that need full consideration before a decision is taken on the way forward.
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether she plans to introduce a register of private military companies operating out of the UK. [87940]
Dr.
Howells: The introduction of a register of private
military and security companies (PMSCs) operating out of the UK was
considered in the review of the options for the regulation of PMSCs
referred to in my
reply today to the hon. Member’s question (UIN 87939). As
mentioned in that reply, the Government will keep Parliament fully
informed of its proposals in this
area.
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 2 December 2005, Official Report, column 1387W, on private security companies, what legislation governs the conduct of the Armor Group and Control Risks Group operating on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office overseas. [87941]
Dr. Howells: There is currently no UK legislation directly governing the conduct of private military and security companies (PMSCs) operating on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) overseas. I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him today (UIN 87939) on the current position regarding regulation of this sector.
Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will establish an entry clearance post in Somaliland. [87239]
Dr. Howells: There are currently no plans to open a visa section in Somaliland.
Mr. Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will ask the Secretary of State for International Development to suspend all preferential debt relief and other aid to Tanzania unless and until Mr. Stewart Middleton is released from prison, all charges against him are dropped, his lands are confirmed in his rightful ownership and Mr. Benjamin Mengi is brought to justice. [88428]
Mr. McCartney: We will not be suspending aid to Tanzania. UK development aid has helped Tanzania to increase its budget spending to reduce poverty and improve governance. We do not believe that an individual case such as this should prevent our efforts to improve the lives of impoverished Tanzanians.
Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the additional cost of (a) his and (b) his officials' early return from Moscow to permit him to vote in the proceedings in the Terrorism Bill. [28110]
Margaret Beckett [pursuant to the reply, 16 November 2005, Official Report, c. 1268W]: I regret that an inaccurate answer was given to part of the hon. Member’s question. The answer given stated that the total cost of a visit to Moscow, Iraq and Bahrain, on 8-12 November 2005, undertaken by my right hon. Friend the then Foreign Secretary (Mr. Straw) was £98,400. In fact, the cost of the visit was £96,400.
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people from (a) Canada, (b) Australia, (c) New Zealand, (d) India, (e) Pakistan, (f) Malawi, (g) St Lucia, (h) Trinidad and Tobago, (i) Belize, (j) Jamaica and (k) Kenya have used UK consular facilities in the absence of their own in each of the last five years. [89049]
Dr. Howells: We provide consular assistance to unrepresented EU nationals and Commonwealth citizens in certain circumstances but we do not collect information on what countries they are from. Each year in the Consular Annual Return we ask our overseas posts for a total number of persons helped in these categories. For the last two years we have asked for separate figures as in the following table. Data for 2005-06 is due in September.
| EU Nationals | Commonwealth citizens | |
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions she has had with her US counterparts on US national space policy; and if she will make a statement. [86558]
Margaret Beckett: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has had no discussions with her US counterparts on US national space policy.
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken to develop UK-Venezuelan relations; and if she will make a statement. [87875]
Mr. Hoon: We have an active commercial relationship with Venezuela and work closely with the Venezuelan Government on many issues, particularly in the fields of energy and counter-narcotics. Our policy is to maintain constructive engagement as we have much to gain by working together.
Mr. Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the letter (Ref: 26890/2006) of 18 April to the hon. Member for Sunderland South, on the possibility of conducting visa interviews in Ho Chi Minh City, when the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State expects to complete his inquiries; and if she will make a statement. [87044]
Dr. Howells: My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Lord Triesman of Tottenham, has now completed his enquiries on this issue. Due to an administrative error in UKvisas, these enquiries were not able to be completed until now. UKvisas apologises for this error. A substantive reply from my noble Friend was sent to my hon. Friend on 23 July.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what advertising campaigns the Department ran between 2000 and June 2004; and what the (a) date and (b) cost was of each. [87054]
Gillian
Merron: The requested figures for financial years 2002-03
to 2004-05 are in the following tables. The majority of advertising
investment by the Department is in support of the THINK! road safety
campaign with investment (£750,000) into promoting the Transport
Direct portal service in 2004-05. Among non-departmental bodies for
which the Department is
responsible, and during the timeframe requested, major advertising
investment has been by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, to
explain changes to the car tax rules.
| Department for Transport (central) | |||
| £ | |||
| 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | |
| Non-departmental bodies for which the Department is responsible | |||
| £ | |||
| 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | |
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many near misses there have been in UK airspace in each of the past 10 years. [82313]
Gillian Merron: During the 10 years from 1996 to 2005 inclusive, the number of Airprox incidents recorded in UK airspace can be broken down by category by year are in the following table.
| Category of Airprox incidents | |||
| A | B | Total | |
| Category of Airprox incidents | |||
| C | D | Total | |
www.airproxboard.org.uk.
Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer from the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster to question 80515, how many days a year were expected from Sir Alistair Graham as (a) a member of the British Transport Police Committee and (b) Chairman of the British Transport Police Authority. [85988]
Gillian Merron: Sir Alistair Graham was appointed Chairman of the British Transport Police Authority on 1 July 2004. This is a part-time appointment equivalent to 60 days per year.
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will examine options for development of alternatives to kerosene as a fuel for aircraft. [87928]
Gillian Merron: The UK project “The Potential for Renewable Energy Sources in Aviation” produced by Imperial College Centre for Energy, Policy and Technology in 2003 for DTI, studied the options for potential renewable fuels for civil aviation. The study examined a whole range of alternative fuels and energy sources. Any viable option would be significantly more expensive to produce than the cost of kerosene today. In general, renewable fuels are more likely to be used for road transport or electricity generation in preference to aviation.
http://www.iccept.ic.ac.uk/pdfs/PRESAV%20final%20report%2003Sep03.pdf
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will require holiday boat companies to display on all vessels a copy of the current Boat Safety Scheme certificate; and if he will make a statement. [85056]
Barry Gardiner: I have been asked to reply.
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many bus companies there are in England. [87850]
Gillian Merron: Information on the number of bus companies is not collected centrally. However, there are approximately 1,700 bus companies or their subsidiaries currently claiming bus service operators grant from the Department.
Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what advice his Department gives to bus companies on the operation of no smoking policies on their vehicles. [76670]
Gillian Merron: It is common practice today for local bus services to operate a policy which requires all buses to be smoke-free. Regulations do provide for enforcement where restrictions exist.
Mr. Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many criminal offences his Department has created by Orders in Council in each year since 1997. [88467]
Gillian Merron: Since the Department for Transport was created in May 2002 it has sponsored 13 Orders in Council.
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department maintains a register of Passenger Carrying Vehicle delegated examiners. [87846]
Dr. Ladyman: The register of delegated examiners authorised to conduct Passenger Carrying Vehicles is held by the Driving Standards Agency.
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many approved Passenger Carrying Vehicle delegated examiners there are. [87847]
Dr. Ladyman: There are 75 approved Passenger Carrying Vehicle delegated examiners.
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what checks are in place to ensure that Passenger Carrying Vehicle delegated examiners only test people who are employed by their own company. [87848]
Dr. Ladyman: The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) regularly checks the driving tests conducted by delegated examiners for consistency and fairness.
If there is suspicion of malpractice, an investigation by DSA would be conducted.
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many bus companies have Passenger Carrying Vehicle delegated examiners. [87849]
Dr. Ladyman: There are 74 bus companies which have delegated examiners testing for them. Of these, 70 have a substantive examiner, while the remaining four use examiners from a sister company.
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the pass rate was of passenger carrying vehicle delegated examiners taking their training at Cardington for each of the last three financial years. [87854]
Dr. Ladyman: The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) has no records of any Passenger Carrying Vehicle (PCV) delegated examiners failing the training course at Cardington during the period specified.
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many passenger carrying vehicle delegated driving examiners had their licence removed by the Driving Standards Agency in each of the last six financial years. [87856]
Dr. Ladyman: There is no record of any passenger carrying vehicle delegated examiner being removed from the DSA register of delegated examiners in any of the previous six years.
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the pass rate was in each of the last three financial years for driving tests conducted by the Driving Standards Agency approved passenger carrying vehicle delegated driving examiners; and how many drivers passed in each year. [87857]
Dr. Ladyman: The information requested is in the following table:
| Pass rate (Percentage) | Passes | |
Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 10 January 2006, Official Report, columns 489-90W to the hon. Member for Edinburgh East, on departmental correspondence, what the cost was of processing returned letters where the addressee has moved away or died. [88930]
Gillian Merron: No information is available other than for the costs involved in the investigation and handling of undelivered vehicle Registration Certificates. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency estimate that the cost of handling all undelivered Registration Certificates is approximately £160,000 annually. This amount relates to all undelivered, Certificates including those returned where the addressee has moved away or has died, which together account for approximately 13.5 per cent. of the total undelivered.
Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 10 January 2006, Official Report, columns 490-1W, to the hon. Member for Edinburgh East, on departmental data, with which other (a) departments and (b) public sector organisations his Department shares data. [88934]
Gillian Merron: The Agencies listed in the answer given on 10 January 2006 share data with other (a) departments, and (b) public sector organisations, on the following basis:
Government Departments that have statutory powers to obtain information from DVLA include:
HM Revenue and Customs for tax related purposes
Child Support Agency to trace absent parents
Court Service for enforcement of fines etc
Environment Agency for investigating criminal offences
Criminal Case Review Commission for investigating criminal cases
Department of Work and Pensions for investigating benefit fraud
Other Department of Transport Agencies
What information is released and for what purpose is prescribed in the applicable legislation.
Public Sector organisations that receive information include:
Local Authorities investigating an offence or a decriminalised parking contravention
Trading Standards offices investigating vehicle related offences
Transport for London for the enforcement of congestion charging schemes
Local Authorities/Housing Associations dealing with abandoned vehicles
Data is currently shared on a regular basis with DfT and all of its Agencies, including DVLA.
HM Revenue and Customs
Department for Work and Persons
Child Support Agency
Traffic Commissioners
Passport Office
Immigration Service
Public Carriage Service
Environmental Health Department
NHS Fraud Investigators
Police
Local Authorities
The Agency does not share data with other Departments or Public Sector organisations.
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 29 June 2006, Official Report, column 562W, on Reorganisation Strategies for DfT, what principles of fairness and transparency are included in Reorganisation Strategies for DfT. [89135]
Gillian Merron: The Reorganisation Strategies for the Department’s Shared Service Programme are based on the principles that all staff will be treated in line with the Department’s equal opportunities and diversity policies and redundancy arrangements.
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 29 June 2006, Official Report, column 561W, on departmental staff, how many members of staff in his Department have had (a) two or more and (b) five or more periods of sickness absence in two or more of the years for which he has provided figures. [84043]
Gillian Merron: This level of detail is not readily available across the Department and the information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 29 June 2006, Official Report, column 561W, on departmental staff, to what he attributes the increase in the number of staff with (a) two and (b) five or more periods of sickness absence of less than five days over the last three years. [84044]
Gillian Merron: The Department’s overall sick absence figures have gone up from 2003 to 2005. The different periods of sick absence asked in the earlier question (UIN 73114) fluctuates from one year to the next when looking at specific parts of the organisation. We attribute part of the increase in our figures to raising the profile of attendance management and more accurate recording of absence.
Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was paid to his Department from the Access to Work scheme for adjustments for disabled staff in the last year for which figures are available; from what budget he plans to meet the costs of reasonable adjustments for disabled staff following withdrawal of Access to Work funding for central Government departments; and if he will make a statement. [89006]
Gillian Merron: The Department does not centrally collect data pertaining to funds paid for disabled staff under the Access to Work scheme, due to the application being made directly between the applicant and the Department for Works and Pensions.
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his consent is required to allow Transport for London to enter into agreements with outside contractors to carry out station or train operating functions on the East London line. [87148]
Derek Twigg: The contractualisation of station and train operating functions on the East London line is a matter for Transport for London and the explicit agreement of the Secretary of State is not required.
Patrick Hall: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to ensure that the Managing Director of First Capital Connect arranges to meet the hon. Member for Bedford in order to discuss matters relating to the hon. Member’s constituents. [88303]
Derek Twigg: The Secretary of State has no contractual locus to ensure that the Managing Director of First Capital Connect arranges to meet my hon. Friend. However my officials have communicated his wish to meet to the Managing Director of First Capital Connect.
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what (a) regulations and (b) flight path restrictions apply to (i) single engine helicopters and (ii) twin engine helicopters when flying over the Greater London area. [88054]
Gillian Merron: The Rules of the Air Regulations and the Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Specified Area) Regulations govern flight by helicopters over London. The former regulations specify the minimum height at which a helicopter may operate, the latter regulations prohibit single engine helicopters from the central area of London below such a height as would enable them to alight clear of that area in the event of an engine failure.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many freight trains carrying (a) nuclear products and (b) hazardous material have travelled through (i) Brent and (ii) Brent, East in each year since 1997. [87715]
Dr. Ladyman: The Department does not hold or maintain such records. The transport of dangerous goods by rail, including radioactive material, is subject to strict regulation, based upon internationally agreed provisions, to minimise the risk to members of the public, workers and the environment.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many accidents involving helicopters have occurred in London in each of the last five years. [87778]
Gillian Merron: In replying to the question the definition of London is taken as the area bounded by the M25 and the definitions of accident and incident are as stated in Statutory Instrument 1996 No 2798: The Civil Aviation (Investigation of Air Accidents and Incidents) Regulations 1996.
| Number of | ||
| Accidents | Incidents | |
| (1
)To date. | ||
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated since 1988 on noise pollution from helicopter use over (i) the United Kingdom and (ii) the Greater London area. [88057]
Gillian Merron: The Department has not commissioned any substantial new work on helicopter noise since that carried out for the London Heliport Study in 1992-94 and published in 1995.
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much highway funding per capita was made available in the Yorkshire and Humber Region in 2005-06. [88594]
Gillian Merron: For 2005-06, the Department made a capital allocation of £76.588 million to local highway authorities in the Yorkshire and the Humber Region, as part of the Local Transport Plan settlement. It is for the local highway authorities to determine how their capital highway maintenance allocations are spent, in line with their local transport plan and their priorities.
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will require the local authorities in each of the 10 largest urban areas in England to make an assessment of how journey times per mile can be reduced by road users using motorcycles, scooters or mopeds for urban journeys. [89103]
Gillian Merron: It is for each local authority to determine how best to tackle congestion in their area, consistent with local priorities and circumstances. Local authorities’ plans for tackling congestion are included in their ‘Local Transport Plans’, published in March (for London, the Transport for London business plan).
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will have discussions with Network Rail, the One Railway Company and organisers of the London 2012 Olympics on improving the appearance of the buildings, structures and trackside between London Liverpool Street Station and Stratford Station. [87413]
Derek Twigg: As the operator and owner of the national rail network, Network Rail has responsibility for trackside maintenance and appearance and between now and the games. We will discuss with them and the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) what practical steps can be taken to improve the appearance of the route. The Olympic Transport Plan is due to be issued for consultation in the autumn by the ODA and will include the arrangements for working with the rail industry on the transport required to stage the games.
Mr. Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what criteria were used in deciding to reduce Stoke-on-Trent city council’s transport budget for each year until 2010. [81769]
Gillian
Merron: The levels of Stoke-on-Trent city council’s
transport budgets are ultimately a matter for the council to determine.
Government funding support for local transport in Stoke is provided in
a variety of
ways including through the revenue support grant, which is not allocated
between individual council
services.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many offences were committed on London Transport in each year since 1997. [87709]
Derek Twigg: This information is not held by the Department for Transport. Information relating to offences committed on the London Underground system and on the rail system in London is held by the British Transport police who can be contacted at: British Transport police, 25 Camden Road, London NW1 9LN, E-mail:
general.enquiries@btp.pnn.police.uk.
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the projected increase in traffic flow between junctions 3 and 7 of the M40 for each year between 2006 and 2026. [88320]
Dr. Ladyman: The table shows the factors by which the previous year's traffic flows would be multiplied in each year, according to current long-term forecasts in themselves, as outcomes for each year will vary in ways that reflect unpredictable events and other short term factors.
| OV( 1) | HGV( 2) | |
(1) Vehicles below 5 metres in length (2) Vehicles above 5 metres in length | ||
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many ministerial journeys he has made on public transport in each of the last five years. [86409]
Gillian Merron: Since the Department for Transport was formed on 29 May 2002, my right hon. friend the Secretary of State and his predecessor have made 221 journeys on ministerial business using scheduled public transport for which the Department has paid. The number undertaken in each financial year is:
| Number | |
| (1)Up
to 5 July 2006. | |
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times his ministerial office has been decorated in each of the last five years. [87637]
Gillian Merron: The Secretary of State’s office has been decorated once in the last five years, in 2002-03.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport who received the revenue from the sale to Canada of Nightstar rolling stock; and if he will make a statement. [82437]
Derek Twigg: The proceeds from the sale were credited to London and Continental Railways.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was spent from public funds on the manufacture of Nightstar rolling stock; and if he will make a statement. [81628]
Derek Twigg: The order for Nightstar stock was placed in 1992 by European night services, a consortium of European railway operators, which included British Rail.
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he plans to publish the Highways Agency’s report An Assessment of Noise Hotspots Alongside the M40. [88337]
Dr. Ladyman: The report has just been finalised and copies have been placed in the Libraries of the House. The report is to be published on the Highways Agency’s website shortly.
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will alter the formula for calculating the noise severity index to take account of the local environment. [88319]
Dr. Ladyman: No. The calculation of the index is already carried out in such a way as to ensure resources are targeted at locations where noise levels are greatest and where the greatest number of people would derive benefit from the measures taken.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many journeys were subject to delays on the North London line in each year since 1997. [87716]
Derek Twigg: The information is not held by the Department in the format requested. Information on delayed trains is held by Network Rail.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) assaults and (b) robberies there were on the North London line in each year since 1997. [87719]
Derek Twigg: This information is not held by the Department for Transport. Information relating to assaults and robberies on the North London line is held by the British Transport police who can be contacted at: British Transport police, 25 Camden Road, London NW1 9LN, E-mail: general.enquiries@btp.pnn.police.uk.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many freight journeys there were on the North London line in each year since 1997. [87720]
Derek Twigg: The Department for Transport does not hold this information.
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions he has visited each region in an official capacity in the last 12 months. [84010]
Gillian Merron: Between 1 July 2005 and 30 June 2006 the current Secretary of State and his predecessor visited the English regions on departmental business as set out in the following table:
| Region | Number of visits |
Mr. Gauke: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what administrative functions for which his Department is responsible are outsourced overseas; and what assessment he has made of the merits of outsourcing further such functions overseas. [81556]
Gillian Merron: The Department and its component agencies have no administrative functions outsourced overseas. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency has, in the past, looked at outsourcing its customer call centre function. This option was rejected following a full analysis of the economic and social impact and the potential effect on customer service levels.
Mrs.
Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for
Transport what guidance he issues to officials in his
Department on the use of publicly available information such as external
websites in answers to parliamentary questions.
[84411]
Gillian Merron: The approach taken by departmental staff is that where the information requested in parliamentary questions is easily available, such as in the House Libraries or on websites, hon. Members are advised accordingly.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many parliamentary questions tabled to his Department were awaiting a reply on 10 July 2006; which of those had been waiting longer than (a) two and (b) three weeks for a reply; and what the reason for the delay was in each case. [85197]
Gillian Merron: As at 19 July 2006, 35 Department for Transport parliamentary questions which were due to be answered on 10 July 2006 or before were awaiting a reply, one of which has been waiting more than two weeks.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 11 July 2006, Official Report, column 1700W, on the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive, what the equivalent figures are for each of the other Passenger Transport Executive areas. [85913]
Gillian Merron: The total funds allocated by the Department for Transport in the annual settlement and in grants to Passenger Transport Executives in England are shown in the following table. These totals include funding for rail, bus services and local transport. In the case of rail and bus service funding, these allocations are entirely in the form of grant. Local Transport Plan funding covers integrated transport block (for small schemes), maintenance and major projects, and is allocated as a combination of capital grant and supported borrowing. 2005-06 figures are provisional and subject to audit.
| £ million | |||||
| Passenger Transport Executive | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 |
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) questionnaires, (b) statistical inquiries and (c) investigations have been carried out, wholly or partly at public expense on behalf of or by his Department in each year since 1997; and what the (i) nature, (ii) purpose and (iii) cost was of each. [83164]
Gillian Merron: The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment has been made of the elasticity of demand of rail fares. [84687]
Derek Twigg: Rail fare demand elasticity is assessed and researched jointly by the Department and train operators. The findings are commercially confidential.
Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what environmental factors are taken into account when deciding where to grant permission for a rail freight interchange. [88609]
Derek Twigg: Granting of planning permission for freight interchanges is a matter for local authorities. Planning guidance is published by the Department for Communities and Local Government and is available on their web site at www.communities.gov.uk .
Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will visit the proposed site for a rail freight interchange in Park Street, St. Albans. [88727]
Derek Twigg: The possible development of a rail freight interchange is a matter between the private sector developer and the local authority.
Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what criteria his Department took into account when deciding there was a need for four rail freight interchanges. [88728]
Derek Twigg: Consideration for the national provision of rail freight interchanges was undertaken by the Strategic Rail Authority. Their Strategic Rail Freight Interchange Policy was published in March 2004. The SRA has since been abolished but a copy of this document and a note of its current status is available on our website at www.dft.gov.uk.
Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent studies have been undertaken on the capacity of the rail systems around London to accommodate freight; and if he will make a statement. [88729]
Derek Twigg: Network Rail will be publishing the Cross London Route Utilisation Strategy (RUS), which deals with the availability of rail capacity around London, towards the end of August 2006. A network-wide Freight RUS is also in the course of preparation, and a consultation draft will be available shortly.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has established a working group in his Department to carry out a feasibility study into the potential of additional high speed rail lines. [82316]
Derek
Twigg: The Government have a manifesto commitment to look
at the feasibility and affordability of a new north-south high-speed
link. The Government have committed to take this forward in the
development of a long-term strategy for the railways, drawing on Sir
Rod Eddington’s advice on the long-term impact of transport
decisions on the UK’s productivity, stability and growth. The
Department has
established a working group to look at a range of options for
inter-urban rail travel including, but not restricted to, high speed
lines. The group’s work will contribute to the long term
strategy for the railways to be published in summer 2007.
Mr. Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many passengers on average used the Cambridge to London rail service during peak hours in each of the last five years; and how many used the service in each year; [82591]
Derek Twigg: Table A shows the number of passengers arriving in the AM peak and departing in the PM evening peak at both London Kings Cross and London Liverpool Street from Cambridge for 2001 to 2005 inclusive.
| Table A | ||
| Cambridge-London( 1) AM | London-Cambridge( 1) PM | |
| (1)
Figures are for arrivals and departures at both London Kings Cross and
London Liverpool Street. In 2004 service became ‘One’
Railway and now includes Cambridge trains previously operated by
WAGN. | ||
| Table B | ||
| Cambridge-London Liverpool Street AM | London Liverpool Street-Cambridge PM | |
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps the Government have taken to improve rail services between Swindon and Westbury and at intermediate towns to provide transport alternatives for the new housing planned in the area. [84821]
Derek Twigg: Improving rail performance is a key objective for the Department for Transport. Joint action plans are in place between Network Rail and First Great Western to address performance issues, including the Swindon to Westbury route. These are monitored monthly.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which routes (a) are and (b) are expected by 2014 to be carrying trains which are loaded with passengers to a level that is in excess of capacity. [85566]
Derek Twigg: The Passengers in Excess of Capacity (PIXC) measure only applies to London commuter services.
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what potential carbon dioxide impacts have been included in the Appraisal Summary Tables of local authority road schemes approved through the Local Transport Plans since 2000. [86137]
Dr. Ladyman: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 8 May 2006, Official Report, column 23W. Information on the carbon dioxide impacts of each road scheme approved since 2000 through local transport plans could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the (a) total number of accidents, (b) average daily traffic flow and (c) accident rate per million vehicle kilometres was for the stretch of (i) A14 between Girton and Cambridge, (ii) the A10 between Cambridge and Ely and (iii) the A1307 between Haverhill and Cambridge in each year since 1997. [88733]
Dr. Ladyman: The number of personal injury road accidents reported to the police, the annual average daily traffic flow and the accident rate per million vehicle kilometres, for the roads requested are given in the following tables.
The number of damage only accidents is not available.
| Table 1: Accidents, average daily traffic flow, and accident rate per million vehicle kilometres on the A14 between where it joins the A428 in Girton and the A10 in Cambridge: 1997-2005 | |||
| Accidents( 1) | AADF( 2) | Accident rate( 3) | |
| (1)
Personal injury road accidents reported to the
police. (2) Annual average daily traffic flow. (3) Accident rate per million vehicle km's. | |||
| Table 2: Accidents, average daily traffic flow, and accident rate per million vehicle kilometres on the A10 between where it joins the A14 in Cambridge and the junction with the A142 in Elys: 1997-2005 | |||
| Accidents( 1) | AADF( 2) | Accident Rate( 3) | |
| (1)
Personal Injury road accidents reported to the
police (2) Annual average dally traffic flow (3) Accident rate per million vehicle km's. | |||
| Table 3: Accidents, average daily traffic flow, and accident rate per million vehicle kilometres on the A1307 between the junctions with A143 in Haverhill and the A1134 in Cambridge: 1997-2005 | |||
| Accidents( 1) | AADF( 2) | Accident Rate( 3) | |
| (1)
Personal Injury road accidents reported to the
police (2) Annual average dally traffic flow (3) Accident rate per million vehicle km's. | |||
Mark
Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State
for Transport what assessment he has made of the protection offered
under the Merchant Shipping (Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and
Co-operation Convention) Regulations 1998, in conjunction with the
Conservation (Natural Habitats etc.) Regulations 1994, for European
wildlife sites in respect of ship-to-ship transfers of oil and other
cargoes in harbour authority areas.
[87810]
Dr. Ladyman: In the recent case of Forth Ports' proposal to carry out ship-to-ship transfers in the Firth of Forth, the Department concluded that Forth Ports has powers to regulate (and if necessary, prevent) ship-to-ship transfers in the Firth of Forth. Forth Ports also has power under byelaws enacted under local legislation to regulate whether vessels can anchor to transfer cargo. As a competent authority under the habitats regulations, Forth Ports also must have regard to the requirements of the habitats directive insofar as they may be affected by the exercise of its functions.
Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what mechanisms are available to regulate programmes of ship-to-ship transfer of oil proposed to be carried out for commercial purposes (a) within harbour authority areas and (b) elsewhere in UK internal and territorial waters. [87812]
Dr. Ladyman: Within statutory harbour authority areas, the Merchant Shipping (Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation Convention) Regulations 1998 apply. The regulations require harbour authorities to have an oil spill contingency plan (OSCP) approved by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. These plans include a risk assessment and the provision of oil combating equipment commensurate to the identified risk. The approval of harbour authority OSCPs does not grant permission for the activities identified within the plan to take place. It is the role of the harbour authority through appropriate byelaws to decide whether to permit these activities.
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what compensation under the Habitats Directive will be available if the proposed ship-to-ship oil transfer planning applications by Melbourne marine services in the Firth of Forth is approved. [89069]
Dr. Ladyman: The role of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, for which the Secretary of State for Transport has responsibility, is limited to amending and approving oil spill contingency plans. Article 6(4) of the Habitats Directive, which is the Article which refers to compensatory measures, does not apply in this case because the Maritime and Coastguard Agency has concluded that the submitted oil spill contingency plan covering ship-to-ship transfers in the Firth of Forth and the amendments to the overarching Clearwater Forth contingency plan will not have any adverse effects on the integrity of the relevant nature conservation sites, or on relevant species such as seals and seabirds outside those sites.
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of whether the ship-to-ship oil transfer planning application in the Firth of Forth by Melbourne maritime services fulfils the criterion set out in the Habitats Directive that the project must be in the overriding public interest. [89070]
Dr. Ladyman: It is for Forth Ports, as the competent harbour authority, to decide whether to permit ship-to-ship transfers.
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions (a) he and (b) the Maritime and Coastguard Agency had with the (i) Scottish Executive and (ii) the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency regarding the ship-to-ship oil transfer planning application by Melbourne Marine Services in the Firth of Forth. [88581]
Dr. Ladyman: The Department and its Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) are in regular contact with the Scottish Executive and its agencies on a number of issues, including this one.
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultation the Maritime and Coastguard Agency undertook with local authorities regarding the ship-to-ship oil transfer planning application by Melbourne Marine Services in the Firth of Forth. [89067]
Dr. Ladyman: The role of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is limited to approving or amending oil spill contingency plans.
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions his Department has had with the European Commission regarding the ship-to-ship oil transfer in the Firth of Forth in the context of the Habitats Directive. [89068]
Dr. Ladyman: The Department has had no such discussions with the European Commission.
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with (a) Network Rail and (b) train operators on the introduction of the ban on smoking in railway stations in 2007. [89144]
Derek Twigg: Network Rail and the Association of Train Operating Companies were among those whose views were sought as the Health Bill progressed through Parliament. The rail industry has a further opportunity to comment through a consultation (which began on 17 July) on Regulations which it is proposed will be made now that the Bill has received Royal Assent.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport why his Department decided to pursue a timetable specification that does not accord with the findings of the Bristol/Bath to South Coast Study. [85237]
Derek Twigg: In preparation of the Greater Western franchise specification, an assessment was made of the existing and future demand for passenger rail traffic on the Cardiff/Bristol to Southampton/Portsmouth rail corridor; this confirmed that the existing hourly train service was adequate to cater for the demand.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 6 July 2006, Official Report, column 1272W, on staff absenteeism, what assessment he has made of the reasons for the increase in the average cost of an employee’s absence between 2003 and 2004. [85226]
Gillian Merron: When comparing the years 2003 and 2004 the estimated total cost of absenteeism provided in the previous answer has actually gone down. The costs were calculated by multiplying the total number of days lost to sick absence by the average daily cost used by the Cabinet Office in the annual report “Analysis of Sickness Absence in the Civil Service”. There was a small increase in the average daily cost figure between the two years.
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the Government's policy is on street lighting remaining on after 1am. [86965]
Gillian Merron: Street lighting service levels are a matter for individual highway authorities.
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate how many tons of carbon would be saved by switching off street lights at 1am. [86967]
Gillian Merron: There are approximately 5 million street lighting columns in England, but no comprehensive information is collected centrally relating to their energy consumption.
Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the proportion of street lights which (a) are solar-powered, (b) are wind-powered and (c) have light sensitive switches. [88821]
Gillian Merron: Street lighting is a matter for each individual highway authority. No information is collected centrally concerning the proportion of street lights which are wind-powered, whether directly or through sustainable energy contracts. There are no economically viable solar power systems available at present. Although precise figures are not centrally collected, more than 90 per cent. of English local authorities’ five million street lights are controlled by photo-electric cells, as are the great majority of those on the Highways Agency’s network.
Mr. Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will introduce taxi access regulations under Part 5 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 before 2010. [86527]
Gillian Merron: The Government do not intend to bring forward the introduction of taxi accessibility regulations under Part 5 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, ahead of the proposals announced in the House on 26 October 2003. These would see the phasing in of regulations, under Part 5 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, in specified licensing areas from 2010 (for all newly licensed vehicles), with full compliance by 2020.
Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assumptions were made about the (a) level of fares and (b) number of passengers to be carried at peak times in the successful bid by First Capital Connect for the Thameslink franchise; and if he will make a statement. [84360]
Derek Twigg: The First Capital Connect bid was consistent with the current fares policy. Unregulated fares and restrictions as to their use are a matter for the train operating company’s commercial judgment.
Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many of the companies bidding for the former Thameslink franchise incorporated (a) passenger reductions and (b) fare increases in their base line bid; and if he will make a statement. [82679]
Derek Twigg: We cap the price of regulated fares. It is a commercial decision for Train Operators to set unregulated fares and to set individual regulated fares within the regulatory constraint.
Patrick Hall: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance he has issued to train operating companies regarding their communication with hon. Members. [88302]
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to review peak time train services along the Brighton to London Victoria line. [89125]
Derek Twigg: Peak time services between London and Brighton are among the issues currently being considered as part of the Department’s evaluation of the Brighton Main Line Route Utilisation Strategy.
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to review train services to Crowhurst, East Sussex; and if he will make a statement. [89108]
Derek Twigg: Southeastern plan a major timetable review in 2007, ahead of the introduction of CTRL Domestic Services. This will provide an opportunity to review service patterns across the franchise.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) whether the formats in which train timetables are produced by Network Rail are governed by regulations; [88352]
(3) in what formats Network Rail produces train timetables; and whether changes are planned. [88361]
Derek Twigg: Network Rail’s Network Licence places an obligation on it to “publish or procure the publication of a national timetable of railway passenger services”.
John Armitt, Chief Executive, Network Rail, 40 Melton Street, London NW1 2EE.
Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what further plans he has to improve access to transport for disabled people in West Lancashire. [83546]
Gillian
Merron: We are committed to an accessible public transport
system in which disabled people have the same opportunities to travel
as other members of society and have already made significant progress
in this area. At a national level regulations under the Disability
Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA 1995) have been introduced making all new
rail vehicles, buses and coaches accessible to disabled people,
including wheelchair users. Over 4,400 accessible rail vehicles are
already in service and almost half of the bus fleet used
nationwide on scheduled services is accessible. We have also announced
our policy proposals for taxis. As a result, many more disabled people,
are now able to use public transport and those improvements will
continue as more new vehicles are
introduced.
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the (a) estimated and (b) outturn cost was in each year since inception of the (i) development and (ii) running of the Transport Direct portal. [85819]
Dr. Ladyman: Since inception, estimated and outturn spend on the Transport Direct Portal Design, Build and Operate (DBO) contract, which covers both development and operational costs, has been as follows:
| £ million | ||
| Period | Estimate | Outturn |
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the abilities of the (a) rail and (b) road infrastructure to cope in temperatures greater than 30 degrees centigrade. [88285]
Derek Twigg: Bituminous road surfacing can be susceptible to extremes in temperature causing deformation, usually in the form of rutting. High temperatures can also reduce the skid resistance of the surface.
John Armitt, Chief Executive, Network Rail, 40 Melton Street, London NW1 2EE.
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost to public funds was of the travel of HRH the Duke of York on 19 July 2006; and if he will make a statement. [87797]
Gillian Merron: On 19 July, HRH The Duke of York undertook a number of official engagements in Cheshire and Merseyside in support of his role as Special Representative for International Trade and Investment. The Queen’s Helicopter was used for travel as this provided the most effective and least disruptive means for The Duke to attend seven official engagements during the day. The total cost of the four flights was £2,799.
Mr. Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment has been made of future traffic patterns on trunk roads in Gravesham; and whether provision has been made for possible increases in traffic. [86680]
Gillian Merron: As part of operating in partnership with key stakeholders, the Highways Agency and Kent county council are working with Gravesham and Dartford borough councils to estimate and model future traffic patterns to ensure growth is planned in the most sustainable way on both the strategic and local road networks. This work is on-going and will help inform Gravesham's Local Development Framework.
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the international (a) airports and (b) ports in the United Kingdom. [87296]
Gillian Merron: UK airports handling international terminal passenger traffic are listed in table 10.1 of UK Airport Statistics 2005, which is published on the Civil Aviation Authority’s website www.caa.co.uk. All active sea ports in the UK are potentially capable of receiving international traffic. The main sea ports which are known to handle international traffic based on returns to the Department are given in tables 1.9 and 3.1 (a) of Maritime Statistics 2004, covering freight and passenger traffic respectively. These tables are published on the Department’s website www.dft.gov.uk.
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what transaction charge is issued by each credit card company for relicensing vehicles on line; how the £2.50 charge to cover the costs incurred by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency in providing this service was calculated; and how many credit card transactions took place in the last year for which information is available. [88815]
Dr. Ladyman: Charges applied for processing credit card transactions by the credit card companies are of a sensitive commercial nature and therefore cannot be disclosed. The £2.50 fee is calculated to cover the full cost of administering the service and is reviewed annually. The fee includes credit card costs incurred and DVLA operating costs. There have been 448,372 credit card payments since introduction of the service in November 2005.
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many incidents of violence on trains have been reported to the British Transport police in the last five years. [87213]
Derek Twigg: This information is not held by the Department for Transport. Information relating to incidents of violence on trains is held by the British Transport police who can be contacted at: British Transport police, 25 Camden Road, London NW1 9LN, e-mail: general.enquiries@btp.pnn.police.uk.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Prime Minister what advertising campaigns his Office has run between 2000 and June 2004; and what the (a) date and (b) cost was of each. [87059]
The Prime Minister: For these purposes my Office forms part of the Cabinet Office. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to her by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office (Mr. McFadden) on 24 July [87070].
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Prime Minister what publications have been provided by his civil servants as background reading for his ministerial duties since taking office; and if he will make a statement. [87589]
The Prime Minister: Information relating to internal meetings, discussion and advice is not disclosed as to do so could harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion.
Mr. MacNeil: To ask the Prime Minister (1) whether legal representation was provided at public expense to Number 10 staff questioned by police officers in connection with the current Scotland Yard investigation into allegations regarding cash for peerages; [87018]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the press briefing given by my Official Spokesman on Friday 14 July. A transcript of this is available on the No. 10 website and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the conversation he had with the President of the US at the G8 which was broadcast by mistake. [88437]
Dr. Evan Harris: To ask the Prime Minister which (a) civil servants, (b) Ministers and (c) others are entitled (i) to view and (ii) to know the contents of (A) application and (B) disclosure forms submitted by those who are to be proposed for peerages prior to such forms being received by the Lords Appointments Commission. [85866]
The Prime Minister: Different processes apply to different categories of nominations, for example, applications made direct to the House of Lords Appointments Commission, party-political nominations, and the limited number of candidates I recommend for people in high public office on their retirement.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Prime Minister when he will be out of the country on holiday this summer; between what dates the Deputy Prime Minister will act in his stead; and who will deputise for the Deputy Prime Minister. [88435]
The Prime Minister: For security reasons, my future engagements are announced as and when appropriate. I also refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the right hon. Member for Witney (Mr. Cameron) at Prime Minister's questions on 12 July 2006, Official Report, columns 1384-85.
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Prime Minister what trade-related (a) missions he plans to undertake and (b) meetings he plans to hold during the parliamentary recess. [86764]
The Prime Minister: For security reasons, my future engagements are announced as and when appropriate.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Prime Minister which public appointments are in his gift, apart from Ministers of the Crown; what emoluments are payable; what the comparable figures were in (a) 1976, (b) 1979, (c) 1986 and (d) 1996; and if he will make a statement. [83230]
The Prime Minister: I have placed in the Libraries of the House a list of the appointments which I make.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Prime Minister what criteria he uses to determine when to make representations to the Speaker seeking the earlier meeting of the House under Standing Order No. 13. [88436]
The Prime Minister: The criteria is set out in Part 1 of Standing Order 13.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many domestic burglaries have taken place in each year since 1997. [88518]
Mr. McNulty: The information requested is published in Table 2.04 of “Crime in England and Wales 2005/06”, Home Office Statistical Bulletin 12/06. A copy of the publication is available on the Home Office website at: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/crimeew0506.html
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what meetings (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have held with directors and senior executives of (i) Capita Group plc and (ii) its subsidiaries since 1 January 2004; and whether (A) Capita Group plc and (B) its subsidiaries have provided input (1) in writing and (2) in person to policy discussions in his Department since 1 January 2004. [61074]
John Reid: It is not possible to answer this question without incurring disproportionate costs.
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police community support officers there are; and if he will make a statement. [86312]
Mr. McNulty: The most recent available information is contained in the following table.
| Police community support officer (PCSO) strength in England and Wales (full-time equivalents)( 1) as at 30 September 2005 | |
| Police force area | PCSO strength (fte) |
| (1) This
table contains full-time equivalent figures that have been rounded to
the nearest whole number. Because of rounding there may be an apparent
discrepancy between totals and the sums of the constituent items. These
figures include those on career breaks or maternity/paternity
leave. | |
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people who reside in (a) Torbay and (b) Devon and Cornwall have been prosecuted under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 in each year since it was enacted; and how many dangerous dogs have been destroyed in (i) Torbay and (ii) Devon and Cornwall in each year since 1999. [85512]
Mr. Coaker: The data requested on defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts in Devon and Cornwall police force area for offences under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, for the years 1992-2004, are provided in the following table. It is not possible to identify defendants from Torbay as their individual circumstances are not separately collected and the data is not broken down to that level of detail.
Information on the number of dangerous dogs destroyed is not collected centrally.
| Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts for offences under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, Devon and Cornwall Police Force Area, 1992-2004( 1, 2) | |||||||
| Offence description | Principal statute | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 |
Selling, exchanging, offering, advertising or exposing for sale a fighting dog | |||||||
Allowing a fighting dog to be in a public place without a muzzle or a lead | |||||||
Possession, without exemption, of a Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa or other designated fighting dog | |||||||
Owner or person in charge allowing dog to enter a non-public place and injure any person | |||||||
Failing to give up a dog for destruction or having custody of a dog while disqualified | |||||||
| Offence description | Principal statute | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 |
Selling, exchanging, offering, advertising or exposing for sale a fighting dog | ||||||||
Allowing a fighting dog to be in a public place without a muzzle or a lead | ||||||||
Possession, without exemption, of a Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa or other designated fighting dog | ||||||||
Owner or person in charge allowing dog to enter a non-public place and injure any person | ||||||||
Failing to give up a dog for destruction or having custody of a dog while disqualified | ||||||||
| (1
)These data are provided on the principal offence basis.
(2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented
are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these
data have been extracted from large administrative data systems
generated by the police forces and police forces. As a consequence,
care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their
inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are
used. | ||||||||
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of reported crimes in each London borough resulted in (a) an arrest and (b) a conviction in 2005; and if he will make a statement. [85936]
Mr. McNulty: Data collected centrally do not track individual offences to conclusion. Recorded offences are counted on the basis of crimes committed and are available by London borough. Arrests are counted on the basis of offenders by police force area only and convictions are counted on the basis of offenders by court.
Jeff
Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for the
Home Department how many (a) robberies and (b)
burglaries were reported in (i) Barnsley and (ii) Doncaster in each
of the last five years; and how many resulted in conviction.
[87635]
Mr. McNulty: The available information is given in the tables as follows. Recorded crime deals with offences while convictions data is based on offenders. For this reason the two data sets are not directly comparable.
| Table 1: Recorded offences of robbery and burglary in Barnsley and Doncaster—2001-2002 | ||||
| Barnsley | Doncaster | |||
| Robbery | Burglary | Robbery | Burglary | |
| Table 2: Recorded offences of burglary and robbery in Barnsley and Doncaster—2002-03 to 2005-06 | ||||
| Barnsley | Doncaster | |||
| Robbery | Burglary | Robbery | Burglary | |
| (1)
The data in this table takes account of the introduction of the
National Crime Recording Standard in April 2002. These figures are not
directly comparable with those for
2001-02 | ||||
| Table 3: Number of defendants convicted at all courts of Burglary and Robbery as a result of proceedings brought in Barnsley and Doncaster Local Criminal Justice areas, by committing court, 2000-04( 1,2) | |||||
| Offence / Committing court | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 |
| (1)
These data are provided on the principal offence
basis (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the police forces and courts. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. | |||||
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to require the Crown Prosecution Service to contact the families of murder and manslaughter victims prior to a trial. [46419]
The Solicitor-General: I have been asked to reply.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners at (a) Chelmsford, (b) Coldingly, (c) Elmsley and (d) Rochester prison convicted of offences under section 18 of the Offences against the Persons Act 1861 were given home detention curfews in each of the last five years; how many prisoners at each institution were registered for home detention curfews in each year, broken down by grounds for rejection; and how many appeals by prisoners at each institution against rejection of applications for home detention curfews were granted in each year. [50369]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The following table shows (i) the number of prisoners released on Home Detention Curfew (HDC) and (ii) the number of prisoners who were sentenced to three months to less than four years and who had an HDC eligibility date in the periods specified.
All figures have been rounded to the nearest five.
| Prisoners with sentences of three months to less than four years with an HDC eligibility date in the periods specified, and number released on HDC: wounding (inflicting GBH) and assault with intent to cause GBH | ||
| Prisoners with sentences of three months to less than four years with an HDC eligibility date in the period | Number released on HDC | |
| Notes: ‘—’ Indicates nil or less than three. - nil or less than 3 These statistics are based on information recorded on the central Prison Service IT system at week ending 16 July 2006, Further updates and amendments may be made to records on this system in future resulting in revised figures. These figures have been rounded to the nearest five. | ||
Mr. Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many civil servants at grade 5 or above have been disciplined over failures in the UK immigration system since 1 January; and if he will make a statement. [73891]
Mr. Byrne [holding answer 5 June 2006]: Since January, there has been no disciplinary action against any member of the senior civil service in relation to the work of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate.
Mr. Wills: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take the necessary steps to record and publish the number of dogs that (a) go missing and (b) are stolen in each year in England and Wales. [87761]
Mr. McNulty: There are currently no plans to separately identify from the recorded crime statistics collected by the Home Office the number of dogs stolen. Information on dogs reported missing is not collected by the Home Office.
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Minister for Policing, Security and Community Safety last visited Watford in her official capacity. [54058]
John Reid: My right hon. Friend the Member for Salford (Hazel Blears) did not visit Watford in her official capacity as a Home Office Minister.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) public speeches and (b) official visits he has made since 5 May 2005; and how many letters he sent in this period. [55706]
John Reid: I have undertaken 72 public speeches, 19 official visits and sent 1,017 letters since the 5 May 2005. Each speech and visit was conducted in accordance with the ministerial code.
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department of which individuals the United States is seeking extradition from the UK on grounds of terrorist affiliation. [87574]
Mr. McNulty: Seven people wanted by the US on charges connected to terrorism are the subject of extradition proceedings. It is not our policy or practice to list the names of those concerned.
Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what his estimate is of the cost of (a) fraud and (b) fraud excluding large-scale fraud in each of the last three years; [89114]
Mr. Coaker: There is no recent reliable estimate of the cost of fraud, although a Home Office commissioned report in 2000 estimated the total economic cost of fraud then to be around £14 billion. The figure six years later is likely to be considerably higher. The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) has commissioned a study on the nature, extent and economic impact of fraud which will report later this year. The Home Office has actively helped with the tendering process and the terms of reference for the project.
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions he has had with (a) national banks and (b) the police regarding the prevention of identity fraud. [89123]
Joan Ryan: Work on identity fraud reduction is led by the Identity Fraud Steering Committee (IFSC) and supported by the Identity Fraud Forum (IFF). The IFSC and IFF include members from the police and the British Bankers' Association, as well as representatives from other sectors. The IFSC and the IFF meet regularly to take forward the Government's work on reducing identity fraud and to co-ordinate this activity across all sectors. A number of sub-groups meet on a regular basis to identify, scope and prioritise opportunities to reduce identity fraud.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many identity thefts were reported in each London borough in each of the last five years; and how many resulted in a conviction. [88667]
Joan
Ryan: The Government take the problem of identity fraud
very seriously. There is no single offence of either identity theft or
identity fraud. On 7 June 2006 we brought into force sections 25 and 26
of the Identity Cards Act 2006 which created new criminal offences of
being in possession or control of false identity documents. These
offences relate to a wide range of identity documents, including
passports, driving licences, ID cards and immigration documents. The
maximum penalty is 10 years imprisonment for an offence of possession
with intent to use the document
for establishing registrable facts about another person, such as name,
address, date of birth and other personal details, and two years
imprisonment for possession without reasonable excuse. Investigation of
offences under these provisions is already underway and statistics on
the number of prosecutions and convictions will be published in due
course.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his Answer to the hon. Member for Southend, West (Mr. Amess) West of 17 July 2006, Official Report, column 66W, on gun crime, why the requested data is not in a form suitable for publication. [87680]
Mr. McNulty: From 1986 to 1996-97 firearm offences data collected centrally did not include reference to whether weapons were held legally or illegally. Attempts were made between 1997-98 and 2003-04 to collect these data, but there were concerns over their quality. There is a difficulty for the police being able to identify whether a firearm used in an offence was legally or illegally held, particularly if that firearm was not retrieved. As a result the data for this period were not published. Because of these concerns, and following consultation with police force representatives, the data ceased to be collected centrally from one April 2004.
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether there is a specific department within the Serious Organised Crime Agency that deals with combating human trafficking. [82697]
Mr. McNulty: One of top priorities for the Serious Organised Crime Agency is the combating of organised immigration crime, which includes human trafficking. The responsibility for this work is shared by a number of different departments within the Agency.
Mr. Scott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was spent by law enforcement agencies in the fight against illegal drugs in the last three years. [87679]
Mr. Coaker: The Government made available £380 million of direct annual expenditure for drug supply reduction activity in each of the years 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06. These figures represent expenditure by agencies with the Concerted Inter-Agency Drug Action Group (CIDA) including National Crime Squad, National Criminal Intelligence Service and HM Revenue and Customs. It does not include any expenditure of the Police Grant in policing local drug markets.
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions were brought in each of the last six years for illegally importing products of animal origin into the UK; and how many resulted in a custodial sentence. [85617]
Mr. Bradshaw: I have been asked to reply.
| April to March | Number of prosecutions |
All prosecutions were successful.
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions in the last 12 months (a) he has and (b) Ministers in his Department have declined a request to meet hon. Members to discuss immigration cases. [67700]
John Reid [holding answer 3 May 2006]: The information is not available in the form requested.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what public inquiries have taken place in the last 30 years into the deaths of children in police establishments. [86233]
Mr. McNulty: To the best of our knowledge there have been no public inquiries regarding deaths of children in police establishments over the last 30 years.
Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asaults with knives were recorded in England and Wales in each of the last five years, broken down by length of blade. [88573]
Mr. McNulty: From the information collected on recorded crime, it is not possible to identify those offences which are knife related. Such offences are not specifically defined by statute and details of the individual circumstances of offences do not feature in the recorded crime statistics.
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he plans (a) to extend the knife amnesty and (b) to introduce a permanent knife amnesty. [87968]
Mr. Coaker: There are no plans to extend the knife amnesty or to bring in a permanent knife amnesty. It is open to police forces to run local amnesties where they consider this to be appropriate.
Mr. David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has met (a) Sir Christopher Evans and (b) representatives of Merlin Biosciences Ltd. in the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement. [61766]
John Reid: The Home Secretary has not met with either Sir Christopher Evans or representatives of Merlin Biosciences Ltd. in the past 12 months.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which probation centres Ministers in his Department have visited in each year since 1997; and for what purposes. [63059]
John Reid: This information can be provided only at disproportionate costs.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the 10 most common motoring offences were for which women were (a) prosecuted, (b) convicted, (c) fined and (d) sent to prison in (i) Essex, (ii) Hertfordshire, (iii) the Metropolitan Police area of London and (iv) England and Wales in each of the last three years for which figures are available, broken down by age group. [78832]
Mr. Coaker: Available information taken from the Court Proceedings Database held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform on the 10 most common motoring offences for which women were (a) prosecuted, (b) convicted, (c) fined and (d) sent to prison within Essex, Hertfordshire, the Metropolitan police force areas and England and Wales from 2002 to 2004 (latest available) is given in the following tables.
Data for 2005 will be available early in 2007.
| 10 most common motoring offences for which women aged 21 and over were prosecuted, found guilty, fined and given a custodial sentence, England and Wales, 2004 | |
| Rounded | |
| Offence description | Total proceedings |
Driving, or causing or permitting another person to drive other than in accordance with licence | |
Driving with alcohol in the blood above the prescribed limit | |
Other vehicle registration offences (excluding forgery and deception) | |
| Rounded | |
| Total immediate custody | |
Driving with alcohol in the blood above the prescribed limit | |
Driving and failing to provide specimen for analysis (breath, blood or urine) | |
Causing death by careless driving when under the influence of drink or drugs | |
| Notes:
1. A person appearing in court can be dealt with for more than one
offence at that appearance. The tables show the number of offences
dealt with and not the number of persons appearing in court.
2. Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are
accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data
have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by
the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to
ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are
taken into account when those data are
used. | |
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many neighbourhood watch schemes are in operation; and if he will make a statement. [88646]
Mr. McNulty: Neighbourhood Watch groups are not required to register with the Home Office and therefore we do not have information on exactly how many schemes exist. However, Neighbourhood Watch schemes requiring public liability insurance cover funded by the Home Office need to register with the insurance provider, and the most recent figure for the number of schemes registered is 137,238 (as of 1 July 2006). Information on the number of schemes existing that have not registered for PLI is not collected.
Mr. Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has held with representatives of the News of the World in the last four weeks. [79809]
John Reid: The Minister has meetings with the media from time to time and this has included discussions with the News of the World.
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offenders on licence given permission to travel abroad in the last 12 months have (a) returned late, (b) absconded and been re-arrested and (c) absconded and not been recaptured, broken down by the type of offence for which they were convicted. [79596]
John Reid: The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, revised arrangements are being put in place in relation to life sentenced prisoners which require the notification centrally of any trip abroad that is due to take place and any trip which has been undertaken. This requirement forms part of a recent update to the Lifer Manual which shortly will be communicated formally to probation areas via a probation circular.
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when his Department will answer questions (a) 44633 on the Probation Service, (b) 50812 on Cumbria Police Authority and (c) 64424 on crime in Cumbria, tabled by the hon. Member for Westmorland and Lonsdale. [75140]
Mr. McNulty: I replied to the hon. Member as follows:
(b) question 44633—5 June 2006, Official Report, column 297W; and
(c) question 64424—30 June 2006, Official Report, column 874W.
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police stations have closed in (a) Devon, (b) Cornwall, (c) Somerset and (d) Dorset in each of the last five years. [76251]
Mr. McNulty [holding answer 12 June 2006]: Information provided by the respective police forces is set out in the following table.
| Number of police stations opened and closed since 2002 | |||||||||
| Devon and Cornwall | Avon and Somerset | Dorset | |||||||
| Year (as at 31 March) | Open | Closed | Total | Open | Closed | Total | Open | Closed | Total |
| (1)
Data not
available. | |||||||||
Mr. Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his assessment is of the costs and benefits of (a) no change, (b) a federated structure, (c) a single strategic force and (d) other strategic co-working arrangements for police force restructuring in Wales. [82367]
Mr. McNulty: The business case for the amalgamation of the four Welsh police forces, which was sent to Welsh police forces and police authorities with the then Home Secretary's notice of intention to merge on 3 March 2006, contained details of all the options that had been considered and HMIC's assessment of them.
The notice of intention to merge was withdrawn on 13 July.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the future use of (a) Willesden Green and (b) Harlesden police station. [87490]
Mr.
McNulty: Questions about the use of the Metropolitan
police estate are for the Metropolitan Police Authority and for the
Commissioner. However I am informed by the Metropolitan police that
these stations are considered to be beyond their viable lives and may
be considered for disposal. MPS have confirmed that no Metropolitan
police station will
close unless a suitable replacement in the general
location has been provided. Full local consultation will take place.
The long-term accommodation strategy for the Brent area includes
enhanced custody centre facilities, a patrol base and safer
neighbourhood
bases.
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many assaults per head of population there were on (a) police officers and (b) police community support officers in each constabulary in 2005-06. [88963]
Mr. McNulty: Assaults on police community support officers are not recorded separately by the Home Office. They are recorded under the more general category of common assault if no injury results. If injury is involved they are recorded under the appropriate section of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861.
Statistics of assaults on a constable by police force area for 2005-06 are given in the table.
| Recorded offences of assault on a constable per 100,000 population by police force area—2005-06 | |
| Police force area | Assault on a constable per 100,000 population |
| (1
)Includes City of
London | |
Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the Point of Order on 12 July 2006, Official Report, column 1393, on police force mergers, if he will clarify the implications for the proposed abolition of West Mercia Constabulary and the creation of a regional West Midlands force. [85899]
Mr. McNulty: My right hon. Friend, the Home Secretary, made it clear in the House on 19 June and again on 12 July that he did not intend to proceed with enforced police force mergers. The notice of intention to merge which was issued to West Mercia by the then Home Secretary on 3 March has been withdrawn.
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what undertakings he has given to chief constables and police authorities on central Government funding for police force amalgamations. [74594]
John Reid: The Government gave undertakings to meet 100 per cent. of reasonable set up revenue and capital costs of restructuring, net of reasonable savings.
Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) police officers and (b) street wardens there were in Hackney and Stoke Newington in (i) 1997 and (ii) the most recent year for which figures are available. [85291]
Mr. McNulty: Information on police officers is not collected at constituency level.
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) resignations and (b) retirements of police officers from Cambridgeshire Constabulary there have been in each year since 1997. [85993]
Mr. McNulty: The information requested is given in the following table.
| Full-time equivalent( 1) Police Officer resignations and retirements in Cambridgeshire (1997-2005) | ||
| As at 31 March: | Voluntary resignations( 2) | Retirements( 3) |
| (1
)Prior to 2003, FTE figures excluded those on career breaks or
maternity/paternity leave. These figures have been rounded to the
nearest whole
number. (2) Voluntary resignations does not include those who are dismissed and required to resign. (3) Retirements includes normal retirements and medical retirements. | ||
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the maximum amount deposited (a) in each prison establishment and (b) by foreign national inmates is in prison service accounts; and if he will make a statement. [87803]
Mr. Sutcliffe: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was spent on prison and court escort services in each of the last five years. [85398]
John Reid: Details of expenditure on inter-prison transfer and court escort services are set out in the following table:
| Cost (£ million) | |
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list prisons he has visited since he took up his post; and if he will make a statement. [32677]
John Reid: The Home Secretary visited Wandsworth prison on 28 June 2006. His predecessor visited Brixton prison on 22 November 2005.
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners have absconded from each open prison in England and Wales in each of the last five years; and how many abscondees from each prison were foreign nationals. [85127]
John Reid: There have been 4,307 absconds from open prisons in England and Wales since one April 2001. A break down by establishment is given in the following table by financial year. Information on the number of abscondees who were foreign nationals could be obtained only by examination of individual records at a disproportionate cost.
| Prisoners who have absconded from open prisons in England and Wales 2001-02 to 2005-06 | |||||
| 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | |
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many recorded (a) perpetrators and (b) victims of racially aggravated crimes there were in the most recent year for which figures are available, broken down by ethnic origin. [77412]
Mr. McNulty: The available information relates to the number of offences recorded as racially aggravated and the number convicted or cautioned for these offences.
Mr. Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what government (a) grants and (b) other initiatives are available for inner city London boroughs to encourage relocation of residents (i) outside London and (ii) in Essex. [71211]
Yvette Cooper: I have been asked to reply.
Mr. Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the most recent performance statistics are of the (a) Security Industry Authority for the issuing of licences for door supervisors and (b) Criminal Records Bureau on the vetting procedure for door supervisors. [82748]
John Reid: The information is as follows:
(a) As at 14 July 2006, 47,597 door supervisor licences have been issued by the Security Industry Authority.
(b) Specific performance statistics for the vetting of door supervisors are not available. Door supervisors are eligible for the Standard Disclosure check provided by the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB). The most recent performance figures show that in June 98.6 per cent of applications for Standard Disclosure were processed by the CRB within its Public Service Standard.
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of persons engaged in the security industry (a) requiring a licence and (b) in receipt of a licence. [62304]
Mr. Coaker: The Security Industry Authority’s most recent estimate is that about 183,000 individuals require a licence to work in the private security industry. As at 5 July, the SIA had accepted 162,452 complete applications, granted 119,653 licences, and refused 4,231. The remaining 38,568 applications were in the SIA’s processing system. There are also 213 companies with Approved Contractor Status that are able to legally deploy a proportion of their staff while their licence applications are being processed, who are between them legally deploying about 15,000 staff.
Dr. Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Security Industry Authority will process the application for a door supervisor's licence submitted by Mark Fleet-Chapman on 5 January. [87509]
Mr. Coaker: I will write to my hon. Friend on this matter.
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what financial support his Department provided for the National Organisation for Rape Crisis and Sex Abuse Victims in each of the last five financial years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [86338]
Mr.
Coaker: The Home Office core-funded the Rape Crisis
Federation from April 2001 until it closed in November 2003 due to
internal issues: £406,000 in
2001-02; £432,000 in 2002-03; and £209,800 in
2003-04.
Mr. Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what role is played by special advisers in answering parliamentary questions asked of his Department. [80655]
Mr. McNulty: Special advisers conduct themselves in accordance with the requirements of the code of conduct for special advisers.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been arrested under the Terrorism Act 2003 and subsequently charged with a non-terrorism related offence. [86721]
Mr. McNulty: The Home Office does not collate the information on charges in the specific format requested. Statistics compiled from police records show that between 11 September 2001 and 31 March 2006, 997 people were arrested under the Terrorism Act 2000 (TACT). Of these, 175 people were charged with offences under legislation other than TACT.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been arrested under the Terrorism Act 2003; and how many were held for the full 14 days. [86811]
Mr. McNulty: Statistics compiled from police records show that between 11 September 2001 and 31 March 2006, 997 people were arrested under the Terrorism Act 2000 (TACT). The maximum period of detention pre-charge was extended to 14 days with effect from 20 January 2004. Our records show that from 20 January 2004 to 31 March 2006, which are the most recent statistics available, 14 people have been held for 13-14 days.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) gun and (b) knife-related crimes there were in Brent in each year since 1997. [87491]
Mr. McNulty: The information requested is not available centrally. Statistics on offences involving firearms are only collected at police force area level. With the exception of homicides, offences involving knives cannot be identified in the recorded crime statistics.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer(1) why 32 (The Royal) Squadron made two return flights to Brussels on 21 January 2003 on his behalf; and if he will make a statement; [66147]
John Healey: The rules on the use of special flights are set out in “Travel by Ministers”. The annual lists of overseas travel by Cabinet Ministers costing over £500 set out when special flights are used, and the purpose of each trip. Copies are available in the Library of the House.
Ms Katy Clark: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what average hourly rate was paid by his Department to each employment agency for staff employed through agencies in 2005-06. [81489]
John Healey: Information relating to payments made to individual employment agencies is commercially confidential. The average hourly rate, averaged across all employment agencies used by the Treasury in 2005-06, was £25.67.
Mr. Brady: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is his policy to veto proposals from the Finnish EU presidency to raise EU minimum excise duty rates on alcohol. [83830]
John Healey [holding answer 10 July 2006]: To date the European Commission has not published a proposal on EU alcohol duty rates under the Finnish EU presidency. It is not the Government’s policy to comment on specific proposals before they have been published.
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the 10 most valuable pieces of publicly owned art in 11 Downing street are. [87581]
John Healey: The 10 most valuable pieces of art held in the official areas for which HM Treasury is responsible for, at 11 Downing street are:
| £ | |
Table, demi-lune console George III carved giltwood (circa 1780) | |
| (1)
Total
value. | |
Sarah Teather: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the average income in (a) Brent and (b) Brent East in each year since 1997, broken down by (i) sex, (ii) age and (iii) ethnicity. [87425]
Dawn Primarolo: Available information on HM Revenue Customs' website for taxpayers at a national level broken down by gender and age, can be found in table 3.2 "Distribution of median and mean income by age range and gender".
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what publications have been provided by his civil servants as background reading for his ministerial duties since taking office; and if he will make a statement. [87593]
John Healey: Treasury Ministers read a wide range of publications in connection with their official duties.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost has been of the Barker Review, separately identifying the cost of (a) consultants and (b) civil servants working on the review; and what Ms Barker’s fees are for the work. [88218]
John Healey: The Barker Review of Land Use Planning is funded through existing Department for Communities and Local Government and HM Treasury budgets. It is due for completion later this year so the final costings of the review are not currently available. To date the review has spent approximately £8,700 on outside experts. The Bank of England is compensated for Ms Barker’s time.
Mr. Whittingdale: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much the BBC received as a VAT rebate under section 33 of the VAT Act in each of the last five financial years. [87388]
Dawn Primarolo: Section 18 of the Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act 2005 does not permit HM Revenue and Customs to disclose information relating to the tax affairs of individual taxpayers.
Mr. Moss: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the tax taken from betting on sport in the UK in each of the last five years. [87236]
John Healey: Tax receipts from betting are not broken down according to the nature of a bet. Revenues from gambling taxes are published in the HM Revenue and Customs Betting, Gaming and Lottery Duties Bulletin, available at http://www.uktradeinfo.co.uk/index.cfm?task=bullbett.
Mrs. Moon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps his Department plans to take to monitor the extent to which public bodies which report to him comply, from October, with their duty to conserve biodiversity in exercising their functions, under section 40 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006. [74394]
John Healey: Under Section 40 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006, all public bodies have a duty to have regard to the conservation of biodiversity in the exercising of their functions. There is no statutory obligation on Departments to monitor the extent to which public bodies comply with this duty. However, we understand DEFRA is working with a wide range of partners to develop guidance for public bodies to support the implementation of this duty and will involve all relevant Departments on the development of guidance.
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he has taken to induce local and central government to cooperate to encourage dissemination of best practice and innovation on reducing emissions by the public sector. [87454]
John Healey: Budget 2006 announced a seminar to be held at HM Treasury later this year to bring together central and local government to encourage the further dissemination of best practice and innovation to reduce emissions in the public sector. The purpose of this was to encourage and motivate more local authorities to reduce their carbon emissions. Since the announcement, Treasury officials have worked closely with other Departments to plan the event, which will be held during the autumn.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his latest estimate is of the fraud and error rate in (a) percentage terms and (b) cash terms for (i) child benefit and (ii) the child trust fund; and if he will make a statement. [81631]
Dawn Primarolo: It is estimated that in 2005-06 the rate of fraud on child benefit is around 0.1 per cent. or around £10 million in cash terms and the estimated rate of error is around 0.03 per cent. or £3 million in cash terms.
Mr. Weir: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) USB (i) flash drives and (ii) memory sticks, (b) compact discs, (c) DVD-ROM discs, (d) laptop computers, (e) external computer hard drives, (f) internal computer hard drives and (g) desktop computers were purchased for use in his Department in each month since March 2005. [88753]
John Healey: The information is as follows.
| Laptop computers | External computer hard drives | Desktop computers | |
| Notes: 1. No internal computer hard drives have been purchased since March 2005. 2. The numbers given for USB. Compact discs and DVD discs are not held in the form requested. | |||
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps his Department is taking to encourage retailers to pass the VAT reduction on condoms on to consumers; and if he will make a statement. [88585]
Dawn Primarolo: The VAT reduction for contraceptive products, which took effect from 1 July, is designed to allow wider access to these products where appropriate, consistent with the Government's sexual health policies. The Government therefore expects all retailers to promote access by passing the VAT reduction on within the retail prices charged to consumers. As a result of the VAT reduction, retailers might typically reduce the retail price of a packet of three condoms by around 30 pence.
Mr. Clegg: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many criminal offences his Department has created by Orders in Council in each year since 1997. [88466]
John Healey: Since 1997, HM Treasury as lead Department has created the following offences in Orders in Council which are still in force:
The Sudan (United Nations Measures) Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/1454)
Articles 4(2), 5(2), 7, 9(6), 9(7) and 11 and paragraphs 2(3) and 4(a) to (d) of the Schedule.
The Lebanon and Syria (United Nations Measures) Order 2005 (S.I.2005/3432)
Articles 4(2), 5(2), 7, 9(6), 9(7) and 11(4) and paragraphs 2(3) and 4(a) to (d) of the Schedule.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (United Nations Measures) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/1511)
Articles 3(1), 4(9) and (10), 5, 6(1 )(a) to (c) and (2) and 7(3) and paragraph 3(a) to (d) of the Schedule.
The Ivory Coast (United Nations Sanctions) Order 7005 (S.I. 2005/253)
Articles 3(1), 4(9) and (10), 5, 6(1) and (2), 7(1)(a) and (b) and 9(6) and paragraph 3(a) to (d) of the Schedule.
The Iraq (United Nations Sanctions) (Amendment) Order 2004 (S.I. 2004/1498)
Articles 5(6) and (8) and 6(3)
The Iraq (United Nations Sanctions) Order 2003 (S.I. 2003/1519)
Articles 5(1) (a) to (c), 7(3), 8(2) and (3), 11, 12(1) and (2), 13(2) and (3), 17(3)(a) to (c), 20(6), paragraph 2 of Schedule 1 and paragraph 5(a) to (d) of Schedule 3.
The Iraq (United Nations Sanctions) Order 2000 (S I. 2000/3241)
Articles 3(1), 3A(1), 4A(10), 5(4), 5A(7), 6, 7, 8(1)(a) to (c), 9(7)(a) to (c), 10(2) and 11(4).
Mr. David Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many customs officers are stationed permanently at the port of Holyhead. [88325]
Dawn Primarolo: Information on staff by location cannot be disclosed, as this would provide information of value to those seeking to circumvent HM Revenue and Customs’ controls, thereby prejudicing the prevention and detection of crime.
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what contracts were awarded by his Department to Bird and Bird Solicitors in each year since 1997; what the (a) value and (b) duration of each such contract was; and if he will make a statement. [88180]
John Healey: Bird and Bird is one of the law firms participating in the L-Cat framework agreements established by the Office of Government Commerce, the Department for Education and Skills and the Treasury Solicitor’s Department to facilitate the procurement of quality legal services for government and achieve better value for money.
Mr. Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the expenditure of his Department on newspapers, magazines and periodicals was in each year since 1999. [83490]
John Healey: The Treasury's expenditure on newspapers and periodicals since 2002-03 is as follows. Information for years prior to 2002-03 could be provided at disproportionate cost only due to a change of accounting system in that year.
| £000 | |
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what conferences have been funded in whole or part by his Department in the last 12 months; how many attendees there were at each; and what the cost of the conference was to the Department. [83500]
John Healey: The details of conferences with 100 or more attendees funded by the Treasury in the past 12 months are as follows.
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what calculations underlie paragraph 3.11 of the Treasury's Departmental Report 2006. [88097]
John Healey: The Treasury’s methodology of calculating trend productivity growth is set out in Table B2 of Budget 2006 (HC 968).
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people were employed by (a) HM Treasury, (b) the Royal Mint, (c) National Savings and Investments, (d) the Government Actuaries Department, (e) the Debt Management Office, (f) the Office for National Statistics, (g) OGC Buying Solutions, (h) HM Revenue and Customs and (i) the Valuations Agency in each of the last 12 months for which data is available; and how many and what percentage of posts were vacant in each region in each month. [51171]
John Healey: Civil service statistics are available in the Library and at the following address on the Cabinet Office Statistics Website http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/management/statistics/index.asp
| Vacancy figures for The Royal Mint | ||
| Vacancies | Percentage vacancies (versus establishment) | |
| Note: The Royal Mint is based in Wales. | ||
| Vacancy figures for the Debt Management Office | ||
| Quarterly figures | Vacancies | Percentage vacancies (versus establishment) |
| Notes: 1. The average vacancy rate for each quarter compared to the DMO's Agreed Establishment was approximately 12 FTEs. 2. The Debt Management Offices are based in London. | ||
| Vacancy figures for Office of National Statistics | ||
| Average number of posts vacant | Percentage of posts vacant | |
| Vacancy figures for OGC Buying Solutions | ||||
| Percentage vacancies (versus establishment) | ||||
| Total vacancies | North West | Eastern | London | |
| Note: These are based on an average number of posts in each region over
this time period. The total number of vacancies for any given month
includes both new vacancies and those that are
on-going. | ||||
David Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many complaints of racial abuse have been (a) investigated and (b) upheld in his Department in each of the last five years. [70554]
John Healey: The Treasury has well published policies on unacceptable behaviour including racial abuse, which make it clear that such behaviour is a disciplinary offence.
Charles Hendry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many websites there are within his responsibilities; and what the total cost of maintaining such websites was in the last year for which figures are available. [79073]
John Healey: The annual costs for the period 2005-06 for each website for which the Treasury and its agencies are responsible are as follows:
| Department/agency | Website address | Direct costs (£) |
| ( 1
)Indicates that staff costs are
included. ( 2 )Costs included in main site. ( 3 )Plus VAT. Notes: 1. These figures include all direct costs, for example web hosting, software support, infrastructure. We have not been able to include indirect costs, such as office accommodation, without incurring excessive research costs. 2. Staff costs (including figures for salary, pension, superannuation and overtime) have not been included in every instance due to excessive cost for research. 3. HM Treasury is committed to the Transformational Government Strategy which sets out plans to rationalise governmental web presence and limit the number web addresses for each Department. We are currently reviewing all Treasury websites, and Treasury agency sites to minimise the number currently registered. 4. Costs of hosting the HMRC site are significantly higher than most Government websites because of the high visitor rate. Since merger, the site has had 294.1 million page visits and 30.4 million unique visitors. | ||
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what recent assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of Government procurement policy in promoting good practice regarding equal opportunities for disabled people; [88887]
John Healey: All public procurement decisions should be based on value for money and be conducted in line with the EU procurement rules. Within this framework, there is scope to take account of other factors, such as those related to disability equality, where they are relevant to the subject of the contract. The Office of Government Commerce (OGC) offers advice and guidance to Departments on the scope to take account of such factors in the procurement process. However, Departments are responsible for their own procurement decisions, in line with the legal and policy framework outlined above, the obligations of the new duty to promote disability equality, which are set out in a Code of Practice, and their own objectives.
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for how many deaths of people aged (a) under and (b) over 18 years in 2005 in (i) London and (ii) each London borough the use of (A) heroin/morphine, (B) ecstasy, (C) amphetamines, (D) other substances and (E) alcohol was recorded as the cause. [88961]
John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the national statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated 25 July 2006:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking for how many deaths of people (a) under and (b) over 18 years in 2005 in (i) London and (ii) each London borough the use of (A) heroin/morphine, (B) ecstasy, (C) amphetamines, (D) other substances and (E) alcohol was recorded as the cause. I am replying in her absence. (88961)
Information from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on drug-related poisonings is extracted from a special database of these deaths. This database does not yet include deaths for 2005. Figures for 1997-2003 were provided in response to your similar question in October 2005.
Alcohol-related deaths for 2005 are available and figures for London and London boroughs are included in the table below. There were no alcohol-related deaths of people aged under 18.
Alcohol-related deaths were selected using the ONS definition of these deaths which is based on those causes most closely related to alcohol consumption. This definition has recently been revised and details of the changes are available via the National Statistics website: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=1091
| Alcohol-related deaths( 1 ) by London borough( 2) , age 18 and over, 2005( 3) | |
| London borough | Number |
| (1)
Deaths were selected using the original underlying cause of
death. The cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). The codes used to select alcohol-related deaths are listed as follows: Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol—ICD-10 F10 Degeneration of nervous system due to alcohol—ICD-10 G31.2 Alcoholic polyneuropathy—ICD-10 G62.1 Alcoholic cardiomyopathy—ICD-10 I42.6 Alcoholic gastritis—ICD-10 K29.2 Alcoholic liver disease—ICD-10 K70 Chronic hepatitis, not elsewhere classified—ICD-10 K73 Fibrosis and cirrhosis of liver—ICD-10 K74 (excluding K74.3-K74.5—Biliary cirrhosis) Alcohol induced chronic pancreatitis—ICD-10 K86.0 Accidental poisoning by and exposure to alcohol—ICD-10 X45 Intentional self-poisoning by and exposure to alcohol—ICD-10 X65 Poisoning by and exposure to alcohol, undetermined intent—ICD-10 Y15 (2) Usual residents of these areas. (3) Deaths registered in 2005. | |
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library the calculation underlying paragraphs 1.35 and 1.36 of HC 968, the Economic and Fiscal Strategy Report and Financial Statement and Budget Report, March 2006. [87531]
Dawn Primarolo: The figures in paragraphs 1.35 and 1.36 of HC 968, the Economic and Fiscal Strategy Report and Financial Statement and Budget Report, March 2006 were produced using micro-simulation models of the tax and benefit system and the 2003-04 Family Resources Survey (FRS).
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the reasons for the different rates of growth in Scotland and the rest of the UK since 1997. [88375]
Mr. Timms: Scotland has experienced sustained economic growth since 1997. The Government aim to promote economic prosperity in all countries and regions of the UK. In Scotland, the Government work in partnership with the Scottish Executive to promote this objective.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the percentage electoral registration rate was for the 100 (a) richest and (b) poorest wards in (i) Wales, (ii) Scotland, (iii) England and (iv) Northern Ireland in the most recent year for which figures are available. [87731]
John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated 25 July 2006:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning the percentage electoral rate for the 100 (a) richest and (b) poorest wards in (i) Wales, (ii) Scotland, (iii) England and (iv) Northern Ireland, in the most recent year for which figures are available. I am replying in her absence. (87731)
The following tables containing percentage electoral registration rates are enclosed, and will also be placed in the House of Commons Library—Table 1 for the 100 richest wards in Wales, Table 2 for the 100 poorest wards in Wales, Table 3 for the 100 richest wards in England and Table 4 for the 100 poorest wards in England. Data for Scotland and Northern Ireland are not currently available.
Ward level income data have been used as a proxy for the richest and poorest wards. The income data used are the model-based Census Area Statistics (CAS) ward estimates for average household income for 200-02. The methodology used to produce the model-based estimates is relatively new and as a result may be subject to consultation, modification and further development. In view of this ongoing work the model-based estimates are classified as experimental statistics.
In common with any ranking based on estimates, care must be exercised in interpreting the ranking of the wards. The variability of the income estimates when using these figures needs to be taken into account. For example, due to some uncertainty over the accuracy of the estimates, it needs to be recognised that the income estimate for the highest ranked ward will lie among the group of wards with the highest income levels, but cannot with absolute certainty be considered to be the ward with the highest average ward income. Therefore the top and bottom 100 richest wards for England and Wales based on income levels cannot be considered to be a definitive list.
It should be
borne in mind that the percentage of the “resident
population” who are registered to vote does not provide a
reliable estimate of the registration rate of the eligible population.
This is mainly because there are definitional differences between
“usually resident” and eligibility to vote and therefore
the estimated resident population aged 18 and over is not the same as
the number of people eligible to vote. For example, the resident
population includes all those who usually live in an area irrespective
of nationality whereas the parliamentary electorate excludes foreign
nationals (but Commonwealth and Irish citizens are included) and may
include some overseas electors who do not
currently live in the area. Further, there is inevitably some double
counting of the registered electorate and this can occur for a number
of reasons. People who have more than one address, including students,
may register in more than one place. Electoral registration officers
may vary in how quickly they remove people from the registers after
they have moved away from an area or after they have
died.
The latest available population data available at ward level are for mid-2002. The ward electorate counts used for calculating the electoral registration rates are for December 2002 parliamentary electors, including attainers. The parliamentary electorate has been used rather than the local government electorate even though the latter is definitionally closer to the resident population because the local government electorate is not available at ward level. No adjustment has been made to reflect the difference between these two time points.
The population data are estimates and as such are subject to a margin of confidence. The CAS ward level population estimates have been published with the status of experimental statistics. Therefore, the estimates, and electoral registration rates derived from them, should be treated with some care.
There are a number of wards where the electorate counts are greater than the 18+ population estimate, resulting in electoral registration rates above 100 per cent. These cases are attributable to definitional differences between the estimates and electoral counts, the accuracy of the ward estimates, the accuracy of the electoral registers and limitations in the methodology used to convert electoral counts to the CAS ward geography.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of electrical items left on standby each night in his Department's buildings in London. [83584]
John Healey: No such estimate can be reliably made.
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make an assessment of how the wear and tear allowance might be reformed to incentivise landlords to invest in energy efficiency. [87455]
John Healey: The Government announced in pre-Budget report 2005 its intention to reform the existing Wear and Tear Allowance for landlords by making it conditional on the energy efficiency of the rental property. Any changes to the Allowance will be announced by the Chancellor within the Budget process.
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what report he has received on the Treasury-hosted seminar to explore how Government and business community can encourage the development of energy services markets; and if he will place a copy in the Library. [87452]
John
Healey: As the Energy Review states, the Government wishes
to incentivise energy suppliers to engage more actively with customers
in order to deliver greater energy efficiency in the home. We want to
provide the right stimulus for them to develop new market opportunities
to sell energy services, so what the consumer buys are services for
heating, lighting and powering
their homes, in the most energy efficient way practicable. I hosted a
seminar at HM Treasury with representatives of energy supply companies
and other organisations, including non-governmental organisations and
Government departments Outcomes of this meeting fed into the Energy
Review consultation. A note of this meeting will be placed in the House
Library as soon as possible.
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer who the members are of the Treasury’s Ethnic Minority Advisory Group; and when it has met in each of the last three years. [87459]
John Healey: The Ethnic Minority Advisory Group (EMAG) is an internal group within the Treasury that works independently, but co-operatively, with Treasury senior management to ensure that all issues which affect the Treasury’s black and minority ethnic staff are taken into account in personnel and management policies, and to play a full part in the Department’s diversity agenda. The EMAG includes staff from across the Department, on a voluntary basis, and meets regularly as a group and with senior managers and other interested parties within the Treasury.
Chris Huhne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of the letter he sent to EU Finance Ministers earlier this year on the economic case for extending and strengthening the EU Emissions Trading Scheme beyond 2012 as the foundation of a global carbon market. [77147]
John Healey: The Chancellor wrote to EU Finance Ministers to highlight the economic case for extending and strengthening the EU Emissions Trading Scheme beyond 2012 as the core of a global carbon market. Developing the scheme is important in ensuring it maintains competitiveness for European firms and supports investment in low carbon technology in developing countries through the Clean Development Mechanism and in providing certainty for industry. The Chancellor enters into correspondence with EU colleagues on a number of issues, and these documents are not generally released.
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what percentage (a) exports and (b) imports changed between 1998 and 2004; and what assessment he has made of the connected trends in world trade over the same period. [87503]
John
Healey: IMF figures suggest that world trade growth
averaged 6 per cent. per year between 1998 and 2004. Over the same
period, total UK exports of goods and services grew by 26 per cent. (an
annual average of 4.3 per cent.), while imports of goods and services
increased by 41 per cent. (annual average growth of 6.8 per cent.). The
divergence between UK export growth and world trade growth over this
period is likely partly to reflect relatively weak growth in domestic
demand in the UK’s main export market—the euro
area—as well
as some loss of the UK’s share of world export markets in the
face of increasing competition from emerging economies. However, UK
export growth was at its strongest for five years in 2005, outpacing
import
growth.
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what percentage (a) exports and (b) imports with European Union countries changed between 1998 and 2004; and what assessment he has made of such trends in trade over the same period. [87504]
John
Healey: The Office for National Statistics publish trade
volume figures for goods, rather than for goods and services, for the
ED and non-EU. UK goods export volumes to EU-25 countries rose by 13.5
per cent. between 1998 and 2004, while imports from the ED increased by
39.6 per cent. These trends, which have taken place against a
background of relatively strong world trade growth, are likely partly
to reflect the relative weakness of domestic demand in the euro area
over recent years, relatively robust domestic demand in the UK over
much of the period in question, and some loss of UK export market share
in the EU in the face of increasing competition from
emerging economies. More recently, growth in UK goods exports to the EU
has picked up, rising by over 6 per cent. in 2005—the
strongest growth rate for five
years.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families in the UK have three or more children, broken down by ethnic background. [87964]
John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your request for the number of families in the UK that have three or more children, broken down by ethnic background. I am replying in her absence. (87964)
The latest available figures are from the 2001 Census, as this is the only source that can be used to look at families in this detail. The data are taken from commissioned census table M502 which is available on request from Census Customer Services (census.customerservices@ons.gov.uk). Figures for the UK are given in the attached table, based on the ethnic groups that are available for all the constituent countries of the UK.
| Families( 1) with three of more dependent children( 2) : by ethnic group of family reference person( 3,4) , United Kingdom, 2001 | |||
| Percentage of families with dependent children that have three or more dependent children | Number of families with three or more dependent children | All families with dependent children All Ethnic Groups | |
| (1)
A family consists of a couple (married or cohabiting) with or without
children, or a lone parent and their children. Cohabiting couples
includes same sex
couples. (2 )A dependent child is a person in a household aged 0 to 15 (whether or not in a family) or a person aged 16 to 18 who is a full-time student in a family with parent(s). (3 )Family Reference Person (FRP) is used to identify a family and its characteristics. The FRP in a couple is based on economic activity, then age (oldest), then the first member of the couple on the Census form. (4 )The ethnic group of a family is given by the ethnic group of the FRP. It does not follow that everyone in the family will be of the same ethnic group as the FRP. Cells in this table have been randomly adjusted to avoid the release of confidential data. Source: Census, April 2001, Office for National Statistics; Census, April 2001, General Register Office for Scotland; Census, April 2001, Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. | |||
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action the Government is taking to ensure that financial skills are increased among the adult population. [88688]
Mr. Timms: The FSA leads the national strategy on financial capability in partnership with the Government, the financial services industry and voluntary organisations.
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many fatalities were attributed to fires in each year since 2003. [88967]
John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated 25 July 2006:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many fatalities were attributed to fires in each year since 2003. I am replying in her absence. (88967)
The most recently available information for deaths is for 2004. Figures for deaths due to exposure to smoke, fire or flames are shown in the table below for 2003 and 2004.
| Number of deaths due to exposure to smoke, fire or flames( 1) , England and Wales( 2) , 2003 to 2004( 3) | |
| Number of deaths | |
| (1)
The cause of death was defined using the Tenth Revision of the
International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10).
Deaths were selected using the following ICD-10 codes: X00-X09, X76,
X97, Y26. These include deaths given a verdict of accident, assault,
suicide or undetermined
intent. (2) Including non-residents. (3 )Deaths occurring in each calendar year. | |
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate the Government have made of the proportion of first-time buyers with a loan-to-value mortgage ratio of 80 per cent. or over. [83005]
Yvette Cooper: I have been asked to reply.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what processes there are in his Department to check Gershon efficiency savings figures before publishing them; and if he will make a statement. [88584]
Mr. Timms: Efficiency Technical Notes, developed in consultation with the National Audit Office, and published on departmental websites, set out how efficiencies are to be achieved.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidance he has given to departments to ensure that all reported Gershon efficiency savings are genuine; and if he will make a statement. [88588]
Mr. Timms: The Office of Government Commerce has provided guidance, developed in consultation with the National Audit Office, to departments on measuring and reporting their efficiency savings including guidance on the robustness of their data systems assurance and covering the measurement of productive time and procurement savings.
The measurement and data robustness guidance is in use across the efficiency programme.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many graduates from each of the last five academic years for which records are available are registered as unemployed. [88691]
John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated 25 July 2006:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about unemployed graduates. I am replying in her absence. (88691)
The attached table gives estimates of the numbers of unemployed among the people who graduated with a degree in the years 2001 to 2005. These estimates are from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) for the three month period ending March 2006.
As with any sample survey, estimates from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
| Unemployed graduates( 1 ) of working age( 2 ) according to year of graduation, United Kingdom, not seasonally adjusted | |
| Year of graduation | Unemployed graduate—three months ending March 2006 (Thousand) |
| (1)
People whose highest qualification is degree level or
above (2) Men aged 16-64 and women aged 16-59 Source: ONS—Labour Force Survey | |
Mr. Moss: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much VAT was paid on the greyhound racing levy in each of the last three years. [87237]
Dawn Primarolo: The voluntary contributions paid to the British Greyhound Racing Fund by bookmakers are not liable to VAT.
Mrs.
Villiers: To ask the Chancellor of the
Exchequer what conference bookings were made by HM Revenue and Customs
and its predecessors through Sabre-Holdings or its subsidiaries
including
Travelocity-Business formerly known as First Option Events in each of
the last three years; what the (a) location, (b)
duration, (c) number of delegates and (d) cost was of
each conference; and what fees were applicable to each booking where
the event was (i) cancelled and (ii) scaled down.
[85357]
Dawn Primarolo: The information requested cannot be easily extracted from Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs own records.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which HM Revenue and Customs offices have been closed since January 2005; how many are planned to close before January 2007; and if he will make a statement. [83445]
Dawn Primarolo: Since January 2005 HMRC has closed, or is in the process of closing, the following offices:
| Building name | Town |
HMRC has also announced plans to close the following offices before January 2007:
| Building name | Town |
Tim Farron: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average annual household income was in (a) England and Wales, (b) Cumbria, (c) Westmorland and Lonsdale, (d) urban areas and (e) rural areas in each year since 1997. [88641]
Dawn Primarolo: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated 25 July 2006:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what the average annual household income was in (a) England and Wales (b) Cumbria (c) Westmorland and Lonsdale (d) urban areas (e) rural areas in each year since 1997. I am replying in her absence. (88641)
The main national source of statistics on household income is the Family Resources Survey (FRS) which the Department of Work and Pensions use to produce the annual publication Households Below Average Income (HBAI). The tables attached here have been provided by DWP. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) have also produced some estimates of household income for wards for 2001/02 only, and these have been used to calculate an estimate of household income for the Westmoreland and Lonsdale constituency.
Household income statistics are shown both including housing costs (before housing costs), and excluding housing costs (after housing costs). Using these two bases, Table 1 shows both the mean and median annual household income in England and Wales from 1996/97 to 2004/05. The median is the middle income i.e. the income above which half of the population live and below which the other half live. All household incomes shown here are equivalised. This means that they are standardised to take into account the different size and composition of households.
Table 2
shows the mean and median annual household income in the North West and
Merseyside Government Office Region (GOR). GORs are the smallest areas
for which robust estimates
can be produced from the Family Resources Survey. These regional
estimates are produced by averaging over three survey years. Cumbria
and Westmorland and Lonsdale are situated in the North West and
Merseyside GOR.
Table 3 shows incomes for households situated in the urban and rural areas of England.
ONS has
published estimates of household income for wards for 2001/02 only.
These estimates are based on a statistical model and are experimental
statistics—this means they have been
developed in accordance with the principles set out in the National
Statistics Code of Practice but have yet to be fully accredited as
National Statistics. These ward based estimates have been used to
estimate mean annual equivalised household income for the Westmoreland
and Lonsdale constituency for 2001/02. Mean income before housing costs
was £18,680, while after housing costs it was £17,130. It
should be remembered that these estimates are produced using different
methods so there is some uncertainty about how comparable they are with
the estimates based solely on the FRS, used in Tables
1-3.
| Table 1: Mean and Median Household Income, England and Wales, 1996/97 to 2004/05 | ||||
| Annually equivalised pounds, current prices | ||||
| Before Housing Costs | After Housing Costs | |||
| Mean | Median | Mean | Median | |
| Note: All results shown for England and Wales are single-year values as sample sizes for England and Wales are large enough to support a robust single-year time-series. Source: FRS | ||||
| Table 2: Mean and Median Household Income, North West and Merseyside, 1996/97-1998/99 to 2002/03-2004/05 | ||||
| Annually equivalised pounds, current prices | ||||
| Before Housing Costs | After Housing Costs | |||
| Mean | Median | Mean | Median | |
| Note: Figures in this table are provided using three-year moving
averages, as single year estimates derived from sample sizes for a GOR
the size of North West and Merseyside do not provide a robust guide to
changes over time. Hence, information may not be consistent with
previously published single-year estimates for North West and
Merseyside. Source:
FRS | ||||
| Table 3: Mean and Median Household Income in the Urban and Rural areas in England, 1996/97 to 2004/05 | ||||||||
| Annually equivalised pounds, current prices | ||||||||
| Before Housing Costs | After Housing Costs | |||||||
| Mean | Median | Mean | Median | |||||
| Urban | Rural | Urban | Rural | Urban | Rural | Urban | Rural | |
| Note: All values presented for rural and urban areas in England are single-year estimates as sample sizes for these areas are large enough to support a robust single-year time-series. Source: FRS | ||||||||
Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what percentage of families with three or more children lived in each county of (a) Wales, (b) Scotland, (c) England and (d) Northern Ireland in (i) 1976, (ii) 1986, (iii) 1996 and (iv) 2006, ranked in descending order by county. [87735]
John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the national statistician who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated 25 July 2006:
The National
Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary
Question asking for the number and
percentage of families with three or more children that lived in each
county of (a) Wales (b) Scotland (c) England and (d) Northern Ireland
ranked in descending order by country in (i) 1976, (ii) 1986, (iii)
1996 and (iv) 2006. I am replying in her absence.
(87735)
Estimates of the figures requested on families are not available at county level from sources other than the Census. For this reason figures cannot be provided for the years indicated. Data from the 1971, 1981 and 1991 Censuses could only be collated at disproportionate cost.
I am placing in the House of Commons library, figures from the 2001 census giving the number and percentage of families with three or more children by county / unitary authority for England and local authority for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. These data have been extracted from commissioned census table M501 which is available on request from Census Customer Services (census.customerservices@ons.gov.uk).
| Families with three or more dependent children: by local authority, Wales, 2001 | |||
| Families with three or more dependent children | |||
| Percentage | Number | All families with dependent children | |
| Notes: 1. A family consists of a couple (married or cohabiting) with or without children, or a lone parent and their children. 2. Cohabiting couples includes same sex couples. 3. A dependent child is a person in a household aged 0 to 15 (whether or not in a family) or a person aged 16 to 18 who is a full-time student in a family with parent(s). 4. Figures have been randomly adjusted to avoid the release of confidential data. 5. Crown CopyrightÂ(c)2004. 6. Data are taken from Census Commissioned Table M501. Source: Census, April 2001, Office for National Statistics. | |||
| Families with three or more dependent children: by local authority, Scotland, 2001 | |||
| Families with three or more dependent children | |||
| Percentage | Number | All families with dependent children | |
| Notes: 1. A family consists of a couple (married or cohabiting) with or without children, or a lone parent and their children. 2. Cohabiting couples includes same sex couples. 3. A dependent child is a person in a household aged 0 to 15 (whether or not in a family) or a person aged 16 to 18 who is a full-time student in a family with parent(s). 4. There is a discrepancy of one, because of an inconsistency in the Scottish data. 5. Figures have been randomly adjusted to avoid the release of confidential data. 6. Crown CopyrightÂ(c)2004. 7. Data are taken from Census Commissioned Table M501. Source: Census, April 2001, General Register Office for Scotland. | |||
| Families with three or more dependent children: by unitary authority and county , England, 2001 | |||
| Families with three or more dependent children | |||
| Percentage | Number | All families with dependent children | |
| Notes: 1. A family consists of a couple (married or cohabiting) with or without children, or a lone parent and their children. 2. Cohabiting couples includes same sex couples. 3. A dependent child is a person in a household aged 0 to 15 (whether or not in a family) or a person aged 16 to 18 who is a full-time student in a family with parent(s). 4. Figures have been randomly adjusted to avoid the release of confidential data. 5. Crown CopyrightÂ(c)2004. 6. Data are taken from Census Commissioned Table M501. Source: Census, April 2001, Office for National Statistics. | |||
| Families with three or more dependent children: by local authority , Northern Ireland, 2001 | |||
| Families with three or more dependent children | |||
| Percentage | Number | All families with dependent children | |
| Notes: 1. A family consists of a couple (married or cohabiting) with or without children, or a lone parent and their children. 2. Cohabiting couples includes same sex couples. 3. A dependent child is a person in a household aged 0 to 15 (whether or not in a family) or a person aged 16 to 18 who is a full-time student in a family with parent(s). 4. Figures have been randomly adjusted to avoid the release of confidential data. 5. Crown CopyrightÂ(c)2004. 6. Data are taken from Census Commissioned Table M501. Source: Census, April 2001, Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. | |||
Mr. Evans: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what internal training courses on tackling identity fraud are provided to departmental staff who have access to members of the public's personal information. [86645]
John Healey: I have nothing further to add to the reply I gave to the hon. Member on 19 April 2006.
Annette Brooke: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the amount of uncollected income tax in each of the last four financial years. [81477]
Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 3 July 2006]: The amount of uncollected income tax for financial year 2005-06 appears in Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs Annual Report: Trust Statement: Notes, section 6. The report was published on 11 July 2006. Figures for years 2003-04 to 2004-05 appear in the previous Inland Revenue Trust Statements. The method for calculating unpaid liabilities changed in 2003-04 so there are no comparable figures for earlier years. The uncollected amounts shown in the statements are a snapshot at the end of the year. HMRC currently collects around 99.5 per cent. of all income tax brought into charge.
Tom Brake: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much income tax was raised in the last year for which figures are available. [87155]
Dawn Primarolo: For the amount of income tax raised in 2005-06 I refer the hon. Member to page 87 of the HM Revenue and Customs 2005-06 Accounts (HC1159).
Tom Brake: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost was of administering the income tax system in the latest year for which figures are available. [87157]
Dawn Primarolo: The cost of collecting income tax in 2004-05 is published in Table 1 of Annex F in the HMRC Annual Report 2004-05. Administering the income tax system forms part of the wider cost of administering the PAYE and self-assessment systems, which also collect national insurance contributions and other statutory payments and administer student loans.
Tom Brake: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of income the (a) richest and (b) poorest 20 per cent. of the population paid in all taxes in the last year for which figures are available. [88312]
John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated 25 July 2006:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what percentage of income the (a) richest and (b) poorest 20 per cent. of the population paid in all taxes in the last year for which figures are available. I am replying in her absence. (88312)
This response is based on the Office for National Statistics’ analysis ‘The effects of taxes and benefits on household income, 2004/05(’). This was published on the National Statistics website on 12th May 2006 at http://www.statistics.gov.uk/taxesbenefits. It also appeared in the May 2006 edition of Economic Trends. The analysis is based on data from the Expenditure and Food Survey, which is a sample survey covering approximately 7,000 households in the UK.
For the year 2004/05, the top 20% of households, ranked by equivalised disposable income paid 35.6% of their gross income in taxes. The bottom 20% of households paid 36.4%. Household gross incomes include all income from wages, employee benefits, self-employment income, pensions, investment income, state benefits and tax credits. Taxes include income tax, employees' national insurance contributions, council tax, VAT, duties, and other indirect taxes.
More detailed information can be found in table 3 of this article, and further explanation is provided in the article itself.
Tom Brake: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what percentage of total income tax the 10 per cent. of people who paid the most income tax contributed in the last year for which figures are available; [88313]
(2) how many people paid income tax in 2005-06. [88314]
Dawn Primarolo: Information on the share of income tax liabilities by percentile groups for 1999-2000 to 2006-07, and the number of income tax payers in 2005-06 can be found on HM Revenue and Customs’ website at http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/income_tax/menu.htm in table 2.4 “Shares of total income tax liability” and table 2.1 “Number of individual income taxpayers” respectively.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of estates inherited by under-18 year olds included the transfer of net debt in each of the last five years for which records are available. [87770]
Dawn Primarolo: No estimates are available.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the estates of people over 65 years entered probate with negative asset value in the last year for which records are available. [87771]
Dawn Primarolo: In 2003-04 the proportion of estates of people over 65 entering probate with a negative asset value was less than 0.5 per cent.
Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 3 July 2006, Official Report, column 829W, on inheritance tax, what (a) preliminary regulatory impact assessments and (b) preparatory work related to regulatory impact assessments have been (i) placed in the Library and (ii) published. [87959]
Dawn Primarolo: In line with normal procedure and Cabinet Office guidance full (i.e. final) Regulatory Impact Assessments (RIAs) to support legislation, and partial RIAs to support formal consultation documents, are published on the HMRC website: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/ria/menu.htm. Copies of all full and partial RIAs published at pre-Budget report or on Budget day are placed in the Library. Copies of full RIAs published at other times of the year are also placed in the Library. No preliminary RIAs or preparatory work related to RIAs are placed in the Library or published.
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) who the members of the International Advisory Council are; and when it has met; [87462]
John Healey: The first meeting of the International Business Advisory Council will take place in November 2006.
Mr. Harper: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on which dates since February he has visited British soldiers injured in Iraq; and what locations were visited. [80993]
Mr. Gordon Brown [holding answer 29 June 2006]: I regularly meet members of the armed forces, veterans and their families on my visits around the UK and in my constituency.
Mr. Weir: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the value was of each IT contract awarded by his Department in each of the last five years; and who the contractor was in each case. [88972]
John
Healey: HM Treasury’s suppliers are chosen from
those on the OGC Buying Solutions Catalist list.
These are suppliers with whom OGC Buying Solutions have a framework
agreement, and full details are available on their website at
www.ogcbuyingsolutions.gov.uk.
Tim Farron: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what percentage of people in the UK lived in (a) rural and (b) urban areas in each year since 1997; and what estimates have been made for each year to 2020. [88643]
John Healey: The information requested falls with the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
The National Statistician and Registrar General for England and Wales has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many and what percentage of people in the UK lived in (a) rural and (b) urban areas in each year since 1997; and what estimates have been made for each year to 2020. I am replying in her absence. (88643)
Figures on urban and rural areas are only available for 2001, Census year. In England and Wales urban areas are defined by Department of Communities and Local Government’s (DCLG) as settlements with a usually resident population of 10,000 or more people/Figures for England and Wales have been presented on this basis. Responsibility for urban/rural definitions is a devolved matter and, as such, definitions differ across the UK, however comparable figures are available across the UK for the number of people living in settlements with 10,000 or more usual residents. The table shows the number of people who (i) live in settlements with a usually resident population of 10,000 or more people and (ii) live either in settlements of under 10,000 people or do not live in a settlement i.e. the remainder.
The England and Wales figures have been extracted from Table KS01 on the CD supplement to the Census 2001 Rural and Urban Classification 2004, which is available on request from the Office for National Statistics Census Customer Services: census.customerservices@ons.gsi.gov.uk
The Scotland figures have been extracted from Table KS01 from Scotland’s Census 2001 Key Statistics for Settlements and Localities Scotland, which is available on request from the General Register Office for Scotland's, Census Customer Services [customer@gro-scotland.gsi.gov.uk].
The Northern Ireland figures have been extracted from Table KS01 on the Census 2001 Key Statistics for Settlements Report, which is available on request from the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency’s Census Customer Services [census.nisra@dfpni.gov.uk]. Further information on settlement classifications in Northern Ireland can be found at: http://www.nisranew.nisra.gov.uk/statistics/financeandpersonnel/DMB/urban_rural.htm
| Number and percentage of people who (i) live in settlements with a usually resident population of 10,000 or more and (ii) live either in settlements of under 10,000 people or do not live in a settlement i.e. the remainder, United Kingdom, April 2001 | |||||
| People living in settlements with 10,000 people or more | People living outside settlements of 10,000 people or more | ||||
| Area | All people | Number | Percentage | Percentage | Percentage |
| Notes: In England and Wales, settlements with 10,000 or more people are defined as urban and settlements with less than 10,000 people are defined as rural. Source: Table KS01 in the Census 2001 Rural and Urban Classification 2004, Table KS01 from Scotland’s Census 2001 Key Statistics for Settlements and Localities Scotland and Table KS01 on the Census 2001 Key Statistics for Settlements Report | |||||
Sarah Teather: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people are long-term unemployed in each London borough. [88213]
John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated 25 July 2006:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply your recent Parliamentary Question about unemployment. I am replying in her absence. (88213)
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles statistics of unemployment for local areas from the Annual Population Survey (APS) following International Labour Organisation definitions.
Table 1, attached, shows the number of long-term unemployed (more than 12 months), resident in each London borough for the 12 months ending December 2005.
These estimates, as with any from sample surveys, are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
ONS also compiles statistics for local areas of people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA). Table 2, attached shows the number of people, resident in each London borough, who have been claiming JSA for more than 12 months, in June 2006 and as a proportion of the resident population of working age (males aged 16 to 64 and females aged 16 to 59).
| Table 1: Number of long-term unemployed( 1) persons, aged 16 and over, resident in London boroughs; 12 months ending December 2005 | |
| London borough | Number (Thousand) |
| (1)
Over 12
months. (2) Sample size too small to provide estimates. (3) Less than 500. Note: Estimates are subject to sampling variability. Source: Annual Population Survey | |
| Table 2: Long-term claimants( 1,2) of jobseeker’s allowance resident in London boroughs, June 2006 | ||
| London borough | Number | ( 3) Percentage |
| (1
)Computerised claims only. Dataset rounded to nearest
5. (2) Over 12 months. (3) Proportion of resident mid-2004 population estimates of working age (males aged 16 to 69 and females aged 16 to 59). Source: Jobcentre Plus administrative data held on NOMIS. | ||
Jeff Ennis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people were in long-term unemployment in (a) Barnsley and (b) Doncaster in each of the last eight years. [88379]
John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated 25 July 2006:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about unemployment. I am replying in her absence. (88379)
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles statistics of unemployment for local areas from the annual local area Labour Force Survey (LFS) and the Annual Population Survey (APS) following International Labour Organisation definitions.
Table 1, attached, shows the number of long-term unemployed (more than 12 months), resident in Barnsley and Doncaster for the 12 month periods ending in February from 1999 to 2004 from the annual local area LFS and for the 12 month periods ending in March 2005 and December 2005 from the APS.
These estimates, as with any from sample surveys, are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
ONS also compiles statistics for local areas of people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance (ISA). Table 2, attached, shows the annual average number of people, resident in Barnsley and Doncaster claiming ISA for more than 12 months, from 1998 to 2005 and as a proportion of the resident population of working age (males aged 16 to 64 and females aged 16 to 59).
| Table 1: Number of long-term unemployed( 1) persons( ) aged 16 and over, resident in Barnsley and Doncaster | ||
| Thousand | ||
| 12 months ending | Barnsley | Doncaster |
| (1
)Over 12 months
Note: Estimates re subject to sampling variability Source: Annual local area Labour Force Survey; Annual Population Survey | ||
| Table 2: Long-term claimants( 1, 2) of jobseeker’s allowance resident in Barnsley and Doncaster; 1998 to 2005 | ||||
| Barnsley | Doncaster | |||
| Annual averages | Number | Percentage( 3 ) of resident population of working age | Number | Percentage( 3 ) of resident population of working age |
| (1
)Computerised claims only. Dataset rounded to nearest 5
(2 )Over 12 months (3 )Proportion of
resident mid-year population of working age (males aged 16 to 64 and
females aged 16 to 59). Note that 2005 uses mid-2004
estimates. Source: Jobcentre Plus
administrative data held on
NOMIS(Â(r)) | ||||
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in how many deaths malnutrition was given as a cause of death in each of the last three years, broken down by age. [88958]
John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated 25 July 2006:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking in how many deaths malnutrition was given as a cause in each of the last three years, broken down by age. I am replying in her absence. (88958)
The most recently available information for deaths is for 2004. Figures showing numbers of deaths by age group where malnutrition or deprivation of food were mentioned on the death certificate are given in the table below for the years 2002 to 2004.
| Deaths from malnutrition and effects of hunger,( 1) England and Wales,( 2 ) 2002 to 2004( 3) | |||
| 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | |
| (1)
Causes were defined using the Tenth Revision of the International
Classification of Diseases
(ICD-10). The ICD-10 codes used to select deaths from malnutrition and effects of hunger were: E40-E46—Malnutrition T73.0—Effects of hunger Records were selected where one of these causes was mentioned anywhere on the death certificate using the final cause of death. (2) Including non-residents. (3) Deaths which occurred in each calendar year. | |||
Mr. Kemp: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what percentage of people in the (a) Houghton and Washington, East constituency and (b) Sunderland city council area were being paid below the minimum wage upon its introduction. [87369]
John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 25 July 2006:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question to ask how many and what percentage of people in the (a) Houghton and Washington East constituency and (b) Sunderland City Council area were being paid below the minimum wage limit upon its introduction. (87369)
Estimates for the number of jobs paid below the minimum wage for Parliamentary Constituencies and Local Authorities are not available. However the Office for National Statistics (ONS) calculates estimates of the number of jobs paid less than national minimum wage rates for the United Kingdom and Government Office Regions. A guide to measuring low pay and associated articles and data can be found on the National Statistics website at:
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=5837&Pos=1&ColRank=1&Rank=272
Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to ensure that all flights undertaken by Ministers and officials in his Department are carbon neutral; and if he will make a statement. [81404]
John Healey: The Treasury, along with other Government departments, will contribute to a Government Carbon Offsetting fund (GCOF) administered by DEFRA which will make contributions to offset emissions from air travel.
Mr. Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his Department has any records of meetings between him and (a) Sir Ronald Cohen and (b) the hon. Member for Coventry, North-West (Mr. Robinson) in the last three years. [83496]
John Healey: Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide range of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the size is of his private office in square feet. [83583]
John Healey: The dimensions of the office allocated to the Chancellor of the Exchequer in 1 Horse Guards Road are 18' 8" by 12' 4".
Mr.
Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the
Exchequer pursuant to the Answer of 12 May 2006, Official
Report, column 620W, on the National Youth Volunteering Service,
what discussions the Economic Secretary to the Treasury had with the
Chancellor’s
private office on that question; and whether there has been any
communication between the Chancellor and Rod Aldridge (a) in
writing, (b) by telephone and (c) by e-mail.
[83492]
Ed Balls: Treasury Ministers have regular discussions with a wide range of organisations in the public and private sectors as well as with officials within the department as part of the process of policy analysis, development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government’s practice to provide details of all such discussions.
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer to which countries the UK has exported nuclear-related equipment since 1998. [87575]
Dawn Primarolo: Information on exports is collected using a European-wide product classification system, which does not identify all nuclear-related equipment; therefore, the requested information is not available.
Andrew George: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what (a) guidance and (b) targets have been issued by the Office of Government Commerce to Government Departments on the procurement of fairly traded products; [87521]
John Healey: OGC is responsible for the Government’s procurement policy based on value for money, and for the negotiation, implementation and application of the ED and WTO procurement rules.
Mr. Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer to which official residences he has access; and how many times he has stayed at Dorneywood since May 1997. [83514]
John Healey: The Chancellor of the Exchequer's official residence is No. 11 Downing street. He has not stayed at Dorneywood.
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have held meetings with representatives of companies or consortia on the shortlist for the contract as the Olympic Delivery Authority Deliver Partner; which (i) Ministers and (ii) companies or consortia partners were at each meeting; where each meeting took place; what was discussed; and if he will make a statement. [88200]
John Healey: Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide range of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government’s practice to provide details of all such meetings.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the contribution of the online gambling industry to the UK economy. [87313]
John Healey: Revenues from gambling taxes are published in the HM Revenue and Customs Betting, Gaming and Lottery Duties Bulletin, available at http://www.uktradeinfo.co.uk/index.cfm?task=bullbett.
Mr. Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many opinion polls of (a) his Department and (b) the public his Department has commissioned in the last 12 months. [83495]
John Healey: The Treasury carries out an annual internal staff attitude survey. The most recent was conducted in December 2005. A summary of the results can be found on the HM Treasury website (www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/about/information/about survey index.cfm).
There have been three opinion polls of the public undertaken in the period:
An opinion poll to support the HM Treasury and DCMS feasibility study on a potential bid for the 2018 World Cup.
A joint poll for HM Treasury and the Button Trust on children's aspirations to inform the review on Children and Young People for the Comprehensive Spending Review.
A survey is being undertaken on behalf of HM Treasury and the Department for Communities and Local Government as part of the Lyons Inquiry into Local Government research programme.
Peter Luff: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many written questions to his Department remain unanswered at 25 July for (a) between two and four weeks, (b) between four and six weeks, (c) between six and eight weeks and (d) more than eight weeks; and how many in each category were tabled for named day answer.[87920]
John Healey: In the current session, Treasury Ministers have answered substantively in the House of Commons 5,602 written questions. 78 per cent. of the answers concerned were given on or before the date on which they were due.
Information relating to unanswered questions is given in the table.
| Weeks | Total number of questions | Named day questions |
Jenny Willott: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much the Government received in tax from pension scheme funds that started to wind-up before 6 April 2005 with insufficient funds to cover all of their members’ pension entitlements; and if he will make a statement. [89102]
Dawn Primarolo: HMRC does not hold centrally, details of the amount of tax paid by pension schemes winding-up.
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the projections in respect of unfunded public sector pension schemes in the 2005 Long Term Public Finance Report are, excluding the cash inflows from member contributions. [87529]
Mr. Timms: The projections of expenditure in respect of unfunded public sector pension schemes in the 2005 Long Term Public Finance Report exclude the cash inflows from member contributions. The net projections could be provided only at disproportionate cost. We are considering showing gross and net figures in the future.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the total cost of allowing the personal allowance to be transferred between spouses for families with children under three years old; and if he will make a statement. [85798]
Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 17 July 2006]: The estimated annual cost of permitting the basic personal allowance (of £5,035 per year) to be transferable between married couples who have at least one child aged two or under, during 2006-07, is £0.3 billion.
Mr. Paice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total amount of personal debt was in Cambridgeshire in each year since 1997. [88735]
John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 25 July 2006:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question on personal debt in the UK. (88735)
We are unable to provide levels of total personal debt by region. The following table shows estimates for the whole of the UK.
| Total personal debt (end-year) (£ million) | |
The estimates of debt and income are national accounts series for the combined household and non-profit institutions serving households (NPISH) sectors. Estimates for households alone are not available. NPISHs are legal entities which are principally engaged in the production of non-market services for households and whose main resources are voluntary contributions by households. Examples of NPISHs are: charities; relief and aid organisations; educational establishments; Trade Unions; Professional Associations, Political Parties and Religious Organisations, and Sports Clubs and Associations.
Further data are available from table A64 in United Kingdom Economic Accounts which is available at the following address:
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=1904&Pos=&ColRank=1&Rank=422
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what services (a) his Department and (b) its associated public bodies (i) make available and (ii) have made available in the last five years through the Post Office network; through how many outlets the service is or was made available; and how many relevant transactions were undertaken in each case in the most recent year for which figures are available. [79195]
Danny Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for which services (a) his Department and (b) its associated public bodies hold contracts with the Post Office; and what the (i) start and (ii) termination date is of each contract. [81535]
John Healey: The Treasury does not hold contracts with nor provide services (nor has done in the last five years) through Post Office Limited (POL). The only associated public bodies of the Treasury that do hold formal contracts with POL and provide services through the POL network are HMRC and National Savings and Investment (NS&I).
The Post Office provides the following services to NS&I’s customers:
over the counter transactions (sales and repayments) for the majority of NS&I products;
provision of up-to-date product brochures for the majority of NS&I products and other forms and leaflets; and
provision of accurate oral information on NS&I products and transactions in response to enquiries made by members of the general public at Post Offices or through the Post Office's customer telephone helpline.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he plans to implement Postcomm's suggestion that a uniform 5 per cent. VAT rate be applied to all postal services. [88696]
Dawn Primarolo: European VAT agreements provide a mandatory VAT exemption for services provided by the “public postal services”. Under these same agreements, which cannot be changed without the unanimous approval of all EU member states, a reduced rate of 5 per cent. is not available for any postal services.
Mr. Dunne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many private finance initiative contracts commissioned directly by each Government Department and Government Agency in each year since 1997 (a) have been completed, (b) have been contracted but not completed and (c) are subject to current tender; and what the aggregate value is in each case. [88676]
John Healey: There are currently over 500 projects that have been signed and are now in operation.
Around a further 200 projects have reached financial close, but are yet to become operational.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) questionnaires, (b) statistical inquiries and (c) investigations have been carried out wholly or partly at public expense on behalf of or by his Department or public bodies for which he is responsible in each year since 1997; and what the (i) nature, (ii) purpose and (iii) cost was of each. [83195]
John Healey: Detailed information in the form requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Simon Hughes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many security passes have been reported (a) lost and (b) stolen by staff in his Department in each year since February 2004. [88565]
| Security passes | ||
| Lost | Stolen | |
Sarah Teather: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people were diagnosed with skin cancer in (a) Brent and (b) London in each year since 1997. [87663]
John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 25 July 2006:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many people were diagnosed with skin cancer in (a) Brent and (b) London in each year since 1997. [87663]
The latest available figures for newly diagnosed cases of cancer (incidence) are for the year 2003. Numbers of cases of melanoma skin cancer for the years 1997 to 2003 for London borough of Brent and London Government Office Region (GOR) are given in the table as follows.
| Number of newly diagnosed cases of melanoma skin cancer( 1) for London borough of Brent and London GOR, 1997-2003 | |||||||
| 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | |
| (1)
Melanoma skin cancer is defined as code C43 in the International
Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD
10). (2) Figures for London GOR for the years 2000-03 are available in Table 4 of the Annual Reference Volume, Cancer statistics: Registrations, Series MB1. Source: Office for National Statistics | |||||||
Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what agreements exist between the Government and the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication; [86453]
Ed
Balls: A total of 388 individuals and 181 entities are
legally prevented from raising, moving or using funds in the UK
pursuant to UN Security Council Resolutions 1267 (1999), 1333 (2000)
and 1390 (2002)
relating to the Taliban, Osama Bin Laden and the al-Qaeda network and
UNSCR 1373 (2001). A total of 152 bank accounts in the UK have been
frozen pursuant to the UK's international obligations under these
Resolutions.
It has been the policy of successive governments not to comment on specific security matters.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in how many cases where there has been a successful prosecution for tax credit fraud the sum involved was less than (a) £1,000, (b) £5,000, (c) £10,000, (d) £25,000, (e) £50,000, (f) £100,000, (g) £500,000 and (h) £1,000,000; and what proportion of successful prosecutions for tax credit fraud each figure represents. [83798]
Dawn Primarolo: It is not possible to provide the information in the format requested.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many direct recovery tax credit overpayment cases were outstanding as at 31 May; and if he will make a statement. [75842]
Dawn Primarolo: At 31 May 2006 there were some 759,000 households with direct recovery overpayments outstanding. Claimants subject to direct recovery are offered the facility to pay back overpayments over a 12 month period with some repayment arrangements exceeding 12 months.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many staff have been employed on tax credit compliance in each quarter since 2001-02; how many are planned to be employed up to 2007-08; and if he will make a statement; [76421]
Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 15 June 2006]: I refer the hon. Member for Yeovil to my reply of 16 February 2006, Official Report, column 2420W.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff have been dealing with disputed tax credit overpayments in each quarter since 2001. [76480]
Dawn Primarolo: The number of full-time equivalent staff dealing with disputed overpayments each quarter between quarter ending June 2004 and quarter ending June 2006, was around;
| Quarter ending | Number of staff |
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the merits of increasing tax credits and benefits for the poorest families in areas where the cost of living is higher. [76809]
Dawn Primarolo: There are currently no plans to set varying tax credit rates across regions.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what meetings he has had on reducing tax credit fraud and error since April 2005; and if he will make a statement; [78160]
Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 16 June 2006]: Treasury Ministers and officials have a number of meetings and receive reports on a wide range of subjects, including tax credits, as part of the process of policy development and delivery.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people received a tax credit payment twice due to an error made by the Tax Credit Office in each month since January 2003; what the Department’s policy is in relation to such payments; and if he will make a statement. [78385]
Dawn Primarolo: This information is not available.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what results were achieved by the tax credits office in Northern Ireland in reducing fraudulent cases of living together as husband and wife; and if he will make a statement. [78405]
Dawn Primarolo: HMRC have a range of approaches to tackle non-compliance. All claims, for example, are subject to an automated risk assessment process which looks at the features of a claim against known risks.
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many tax credit overpayments were (a) disputed and (b) successfully disputed in Northern Ireland in each month of the last two financial years. [78763]
Dawn Primarolo: A total of around 16,000 households in Northern Ireland disputed an overpayment in 2004-05 and 2005-06. A monthly breakdown of this figure is not available. HM Revenue and Customs centralised its work on disputed overpayments in Great Britain and Northern Ireland in January 2006 and has not kept a separate count of disputes received from Northern Ireland households since the end of November 2005.
| Number of payments written off( 1) | |
| (1)
Figures represent the numbers of remissions made and are therefore net
comparable with the figures for the number of households disputing
overpayments. | |
Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what anti-fraud packages were designed for the tax credits system; whether these are (a) enabled and (b) operational; and if he will make a statement. [81149]
Dawn Primarolo: It is not appropriate to give specific details of anti-fraud packages as to do so could provide assistance to those engaged in criminal activity.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidance has been given to tax credit contact centres in relation to giving out the addresses of HM Revenue and Customs Enquiry Centres for claimants needing emergency payments; and if he will make a statement. [81152]
Dawn Primarolo: HMRC’s guidance tells Tax Credit Helpline advisers to provide details of Enquiry Centre addresses local to the claimant’s area when an emergency payment is requested.
Anne Main: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff have been employed on tax credit helplines (a) for the general public and (b) exclusively for the use of hon. Members and their staff in each year since they were created. [81524]
Dawn Primarolo: For the number of staff employed on dedicated tax credits helplines in April 2003, April 2004 and April 2005 I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 28 November 2005, Official Report, column 81W, and to the answer given on 19 June 2006, Official Report, column 1628W.
| Number of staff( 1) | |
| (1)
Full-time
equivalent | |
Anne Main: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he has taken to reduce errors in payments of tax credit payments. [81525]
Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to the HMRC publication “Tackling error and fraud in the Child and Working Tax Credits” available at www.hmrc.gov.uk/news/index.htm.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what financial provision has been made to date by his Department to cover losses from tax credit fraud since 2003; and if he will make a statement. [81753]
Dawn Primarolo: Financial provisions are set out in HM Revenue and Customs’ accounts.
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many overpayments of tax credits in the last 12 months have been due to administrative errors; and what steps are being taken to reduce such errors. [82435]
Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to the HMRC publication “Tackling error and fraud in the Child and Working Tax Credits” available at www.hmrc.gov.uk/news/index.htm and to HM Revenue and Customs 2005-06 Accounts: The Comptroller and Auditor General’s Standard Report, Part 2, available at http://www.nao.org.uk/pn05-06/05061159.htm.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any bonus payments have been made to staff dealing with tax credits since 12 December 2005; and if he will make a statement. [82887]
Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 10 July 2006]: The information is not available. Staff in various parts of HM Revenue and Customs, not only the Tax Credit Office, may be deployed to tax credits work or deal with tax credits in addition to other work. It is not possible to isolate those in receipt of bonus payments.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many prosecutions there have been for (a) tax credit fraud and (b) tax credit fraud over £250,000 in each month since January 2004; and if he will make a statement. [63040]
Mr. Davidson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people were prosecuted in (a) 2004-05 and (b) 2005-06 for tax credit fraud; how many were found guilty; how much money was fraudulently obtained in each such case where proceedings are complete; and if he will make a statement. [77590]
Dawn Primarolo: For numbers of prosecutions and successful prosecutions I refer the hon. Member and my hon. Friend to the publications “Tackling error and fraud in the Child and Working Tax Credits” available on the HMRC website at www.hmrc.gov.uk/news/index.htm. and to HM Revenue and Customs 2005-06 Accounts: The Comptroller and Auditor General’s Standard Report, part 2, available at http://www.nao.org.uk/pn/05-06/05061159.htm.
The other information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Paice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people in South East Cambridgeshire were (a) underpaid and (b) overpaid child and working tax credit in each of the last five years; and what the value was of (i) underpayments and (ii) overpayments. [88734]
Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my right hon. Friend the Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Field) on 16 June 2006, O fficial Report, column 1421W.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many underage pregnancies there were in each London borough in each year since 1997. [87507]
John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 25 July 2006:
As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many underage pregnancies there were in each London borough in each year since 1997. (87507)
Available figures are estimates of the number of pregnancies that resulted in a live birth, stillbirth or termination.
Number of conceptions to girls aged under 16 in each London Borough for the years 1997-2004 (the most recent year for which figures are available), are shown in the attached table. Figures for 2004 are provisional.
| Number of conceptions to girls aged under 16 years by area of usual residence, London, 1997-2004( 1) | ||||||||
| Area of usual residence | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004( 1) |
| (1)
Figures for 2004 are provisional. Note: To preserve confidentiality, counts for City of London have been combined with those for Hackney LB. | ||||||||
John Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps his Department takes to monitor the cost of domestic fuel for those entitled to the teleworker heat and fuel allowance. [86549]
Dawn Primarolo: HMRC does not monitor the cost of domestic fuel used by particular groups of individuals. All employers can reimburse the full additional heat and fuel costs of employees working at home under the statutory homeworking exemption without a tax or national insurance charge arising.
John Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to review the teleworkers heat and fuel allowance. [86550]
Dawn Primarolo: There are no current plans to change the exemption for additional household expenses incurred by employees who work at home.
John Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what threshold he has set for rises in domestic fuel costs that will trigger consideration on increasing the teleworkers heat and fuel allowance. [86552]
Dawn Primarolo: Employers can reimburse the full additional heat and fuel costs of employees working at home under the statutory homeworking exemption without a tax or national insurance charge arising.
John Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether research has been carried out into the extent to which teleworkers’ income is being affected by changes in (a) domestic fuel costs and (b) the teleworkers heat and fuel allowance. [86553]
Dawn Primarolo: HMRC does not monitor the cost of domestic fuel used by particular groups of individuals. There have been no changes to the statutory homeworking exemption under which employers can reimburse employees the full additional costs of working from home without a tax or national insurance charge arising.
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many jobs were lost in the (a) tourism, (b) agriculture, (c) fishing and (d) defence-related industries in each constituency in Devon and Cornwall in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [87391]
John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 25 July 2006:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about job losses in tourism, agriculture, fishing and defence-related industries. (87391)
While statistics of jobs lost or created are not available explicitly, statistics from surveys enable comparisons to be made of net changes in the number of jobs from year to year.
The attached table shows the number of employee jobs in tourism-related industries in each constituency in Devon and Cornwall in 2004, and net changes since 2003. These figures are obtained by combining estimates of employee jobs in the following industries, as identified by the Standard Industrial Classification 2003:
Hotels and other tourist accommodation
Restaurants, bars and canteens
Transport
Travel agencies/tour operators
Recreation services.
The table also shows the number of employee jobs in agriculture, fishing, and defence activities in Devon and Cornwall as a whole, and for those constituencies where information is available.
These estimates are from the Annual Business Inquiry and, as with any sample survey, are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
| Employee jobs in tourism, agriculture, fishing and defence activities in Devon and Cornwall, by Parliamentary Constituency, 2003 and 2004 | |||||
| Tourism( 1) | Agriculture, hunting and forestry( 2) | ||||
| 2003 | 2004 | Change: 2003-04 | 2003 | 2004 | |
| Fishing( 3) | Defence activities( 4) | |||
| 2003 | 2004 | 2003 | 2004 | |
| (1)
Tourism is defined as Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) 2003
Groups: 551-555: Hotels and restaurants; 601-623: Transport; 633:
Travel agencies and tour operators n.e.c; 925: Library, archives,
museums and other cultural activities; 926: Sporting activities; 927:
Other recreational
activities. (2) SIC 2003 Division A: Agriculture, hunting and forestry. These figures are aggregates from which agriculture class 0100 (SIC 2003) have been excluded. (3) SIC 2003 Division B: Fishing (4) SIC 2003 Class 7522: Defence activities (5) These figures are not shown in order to prevent the disclosure of data that could lead to individual businesses being identified. Note: The estimates for individual industries in Parliamentary Constituencies are based on very small sample sizes and are hence subject to significant sampling variation. Changes between years cannot be assessed at all reliably for these cases. | ||||
Mr. Hands: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer from which public sector organisations the Valuation Office Agency obtains data; and with which it shares data. [88072]
Dawn Primarolo: VOA obtains or shares data in accordance with its statutorily authorised activities across a very wide range of public sector organisations in central and local government. A comprehensive list could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many cars in each vehicle excise duty band are (a) leased to and (b) owned by (i) HM Treasury and (ii) its agencies. [83581]
John Healey: Details of the Treasury and its agencies are as follows.
| Chancellor's Department | Owns | VED/CO 2 Band | Leases | VED/CO 2 Band |
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which appointments in his Department have been made using the recruitment agency Veredus; what the date was of each appointment; and how much was paid to Veredus in respect of each. [83577]
John Healey: The Head of Business Delivery for the Debt Management Office, an executive agency of HM Treasury, was recruited using Veredus in August 2005. It would not be appropriate on grounds of commercial confidentiality to disclose how much was paid to Veredus.
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Welsh speakers there are in Wales; and what proportion this is of the Welsh population. [88376]
John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated 25 July 2006:
The National Statistician and Registrar General for England and Wales has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many Welsh speakers there are in Wales; and what proportion this is of the Welsh population. I am replying in her absence. (88376)
The most recent information available on Welsh speakers is from the 2001 Census. The table below shows that on Census day (29 April 2001) there were 582,368 people living in Wales who reported that they were able to speak Welsh, which is 20.8 per cent. of the Welsh population. The figure has been extracted from Table T39 on the CD supplement to the Census 2001 National report for England and Wales, which is available in the House of Commons Library.
| Welsh speakers in Wales, 29 April 2001 | |
| All people aged 3 and over | |
| Note: In line with standard Census reports on language skills children under 3 have been excluded from the table. Source: Table T39 in the Census 2001 National report for England and Wales | |
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many excess winter deaths there were in each London borough in 2005. [88550]
John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated 25 July 2006:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many excess winter deaths there were in London borough in 2005. I am replying in her absence. (88550)
The latest available figures on excess winter deaths (the excess number of deaths each winter compared to the average during other months of the year) for local authorities are for 2003/2004. Figures for London boroughs were given in a Written Answer on 17(th) Novemebr2005 (Hansard Column 1574W), in response to a previous question of yours.
Estimates for 2004/5 are expected to be published in November 2006.
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what guidance has been provided to health professionals on advice to be provided to women seeking abortions. [87978]
Paul Goggins: The Department of Health and Social Services and Public Safety has set up a Working Group with representatives from a wide range of professional and specialty backgrounds including nursing and midwifery, obstetrics and gynaecology, public health, psychiatry, clinical genetics, Family Planning doctors and General Practitioners to develop guidance on abortion in Northern Ireland.
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the outcome was of the survey conducted in September 2005 of health professionals on advice for females seeking abortions. [87979]
Paul Goggins: The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety set up a working group to inquire into the adequacy of termination of pregnancy services provided in Northern Ireland (including aftercare); and following such inquiry, and after appropriate consultation with concerned organisations, to issue appropriate guidance.
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what budget has been allocated to adult community learning by each education and library board in each of the last five years. [85438]
Maria Eagle: The Education and Library Boards are not responsible for Adult Community Learning therefore no budget has been allocated to Education and Library Boards for adult community learning in the last five years.
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of (a) current mileage levels for Omagh ambulance crews and (b) mileage levels prior to the acute services status change at Tyrone county hospital. [87279]
Paul Goggins: The mileage recorded by the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service for its emergency A and E ambulances and non-emergency patient care service vehicles based in Omagh during the most recent quarter following the changes to acute services at Tyrone county hospital and the equivalent quarter in the previous year are shown in the tables as follows:
| A and E ambulances | |||
| 2005 | 2006 | Percentage change | |
| PCS vehicles | |||
| 2005 | 2006 | Percentage change | |
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the outcome was of the review of the effectiveness of the Ambulance Service’s arrangements for ambulance cover at the Northland Road Fire and Rescue Service Station. [87280]
Paul Goggins: The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service’s review has confirmed that its performance has improved significantly in the area covered by the Northland Road ambulance deployment point, which opened in May 2006. Almost 62 per cent. of life threatening emergency calls received in June 2006 were responded to within the national eight minute response target compared to 53.1 per cent. in April.
Dr. Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans his Department has (a) to review the training and (b) conduct retraining of consultant radiologists in relation to breast cancer; what funding is available for this initiative; and what assessment he has made of the findings of the inquiry into the conduct of radiology in Antrim hospital. [86579]
Paul
Goggins: The independent review by the Regulation and
Quality and Improvement Authority (RQIA) into the conduct of radiology
did not identify
problems with training in breast radiology locally. However, staff
shortages in the specialty were considered by the RQIA a contributory
factor. The RQIA review recommended the promotion of the sub-speciality
of breast radiology to medical trainees and also encouragement of the
development of various models of service provision through a range of
skill mix options as outlined in the NHS Breast Screening Programme.
The Department is currently considering the detailed recommendations of
the RQIA review and is exploring with the Northern Ireland Medical and
Dental Training Agency the feasibility of increasing the number of
specialist trainees in breast
radiology.
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many charities are under investigation in Northern Ireland regarding possible fraudulent transactions. [87129]
Paul Goggins: It is not normal policy for the PSNI to comment on on-going investigations as this may prejudice inquiries.
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the (a) salary is and (b) other benefits are of the newly appointed Chief Medical Officer for Northern Ireland. [87990]
Paul Goggins: The information is as follows:
(a) The salary of the newly appointed Chief Medical Officer will be in the range £135,000 to £140,000. The Chief Medical Officer has been appointed on secondment terms from the Royal Victoria Hospital to the Department of Health, Social Service and Public Safety. He will retain all the terms and conditions available from his present employer.
(b) No other benefits are available to the Chief Medical Officer.
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many civil servants in Northern Ireland who were convicted of fraud or theft were (a) disciplined and (b) dismissed in each of the last three years. [81668]
Mr. Hanson: The following table covers Northern Ireland civil servants working within the 11 NI Departments/agencies and also includes staff employed in the Northern Ireland Office.
| Convicted of fraud | Convicted of theft | |||
| Disciplined | Dismissed | Disciplined | Dismissed | |
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many children in the Province are waiting for cranial remoulding orthosis treatment. [87980]
Paul Goggins: At 24 July 2006, there were no patients waiting for treatment for cranial remoulding orthosis in Northern Ireland.
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many people in the Province have undergone cranial remoulding orthosis; [88170]
Paul Goggins: The information requested is not held centrally and will take some time to collate. I will write to the hon. Member with the relevant information as soon as it becomes available and place a copy in the Library.
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of reported crimes in each Westminster constituency in Northern Ireland resulted in (a) an arrest and (b) a conviction in (i) 2004, (ii) 2005 and (iii) 2006. [86314]
Paul Goggins: As the PSNI do not collate details of the number of arrests or convictions, the information cannot be given in the format requested and could be done only at disproportionate cost. A table showing details of the number of crimes reported and cleared by each district command unit for the years requested has been placed in the House of Commons Library.
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps are being taken to promote cycling in Northern Ireland. [87281]
David Cairns: The Department for Regional Development’s Roads Service promotes cycling in Northern Ireland from two perspectives. Firstly, it continues to invest some £800,000 per annum on the cycling infrastructure to improve facilities for cyclists and to make cycling as safe as is possible. This includes the creation of further cycle lanes (both traffic free and on-road); the provision of town centre bicycle parking facilities; and the installation of toucan crossings for cyclists at key points on the network.
Dr. Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many dentists are registered in NHS practices in each of the health board areas in Northern Ireland. [86557]
Paul Goggins: The information requested is detailed in the following table:
| Dentists registered in NHS practices by Health Board Area as at 18 July 2006 | |
| Health Board | Number |
| Note:
Dentists holding multiple contracts within a Health Board Area are
counted only once within that Health Board Area. The sum of dentists by
Health Board is not the same as the NI figure as dentists can work in
different Boards under different contracts and will be counted once
within each Health Board Area in which they work.
Source: Central Services
Agency | |
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what capital charges on assets will be paid by each Northern Ireland department out of the 2006-07 budget. [87271]
Mr. Hanson: The following table, based on the position as established in the Priorities and Budget 2006-08, sets out planned current expenditure and capital charges within each relevant Departmental expenditure limit for 2006-07:
| Departmental expenditure limit: current expenditure and capital charges for 2006-07 | ||
| £ million | ||
| Department | Current expenditure | Of which: Capital charges |
Mrs.
Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State
for Northern Ireland how many civil servants within each Government
Department in the Province used
chauffeured cars in each of the last five years; (a) how many
times civil servants within each Government Department in the Province
used such cars in each year; and (b) what the cost was in each
year.
[83689]
Mr. Hanson: Records of numbers of civil servants using chauffeured cars do not exist prior to April 2003. Estimates of the numbers of civil servants by department that have used chauffeur driven vehicles provided by the DFP centralised car pool since April 2003 to June 2006 are given in table 1. It does not include numbers from Departments that have access to their own chauffeured vehicles, as those Departments do not hold these records.
| Table 1 | |
| Department | Number of civil servants |
Department of Health, Social Service and Public Safety (DHSSPS) | |
Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM) | |
| (1)
The NIO has its own car pool and does not use the DFP centralised car
pool. It does not record the number of civil servants who use the
service. | |
A breakdown of the figures by year could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
| Table 2 | |||
| Fiscal year | |||
| Department | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 |
(b) Estimated costs for the use of chauffeured cars are shown in table 3.
| Table 3 | |
| Costs (£) | |
| Note: These figures are not comparable to figures in tables 1 and 2 as they include the cost of the NIO service. The totals also include the costs of providing a service to visiting dignitaries and other non civil servants. | |
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the latest estimate is of the average effective tax rate in Northern Ireland to be levied on domestic rates bills in respect of the (a) district and (b) regional rate in (i) Northern Ireland as a whole and (ii) each district in Northern Ireland in 2007-08. [86817]
Mr. Hanson: Individual district council projections for 2007-08 are not available. Each district council is responsible for setting its own rate and the spending plans for the 26 district councils are not yet known for 2007-08. However, the average district rate for 2007-08 is estimated to be 0.00273 or £2.73 per £1,000 of capital value. This estimate is based on the assumption of a 6 per cent. increase in the average simulated domestic capital value rates that would have applied in 2006-07.
Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many secondary school field courses were funded by each education and library board in each of the last seven years; and how many students have attended such courses. [87099]
Maria Eagle: The information on funding and students attending such courses is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in Northern Ireland are receiving publicly funded assistance for a gambling addiction; and if he will make a statement. [87986]
Paul Goggins: It is not possible to estimate the number of people receiving assistance through health services for a gambling addiction. There is no record of patients receiving treatment solely for a gambling addiction although those patients with a co-existent mental illness or alcohol problem may receive therapy for gambling as part of their treatment.
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the merits of further genito-urinary medicine clinics in the Province. [87983]
Paul Goggins: In April 2006 DHSSPS asked the four health and social services boards to jointly undertake a review of sexual health/GUM services in Northern Ireland. In particular the review will address:
(a) the potential to optimise the utilisation of current resources including facilities, staff and diagnostics—this will take into account an analysis by the Service Delivery Unit;
(b) the potential to develop the capacity of primary/community based services to respond to the increased demand in the population;
(c) equity of access across Northern Ireland; and
(d) working towards the achievement of targets for open access and waiting times for appointments.
The Review is expected to be completed by the end of September 2006.
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) maintained and (b) state controlled schools have transformed to the integrated school sector over the last five years in each education and library board area; and if he will make a statement. [87996]
Maria Eagle: Over the last five years no maintained schools have transformed to integrated status. Two controlled primary schools in the north-eastern education and library board area; one controlled primary school in the south-eastern education and library board area; and one controlled primary school in the western education and library board area have transformed to controlled integrated status.
Dr. Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people whose country of origin is outside Northern Ireland and whose first language is other than English, are enrolled in each college of further and higher education in each education and library board area, broken down by country of origin. [86570]
Maria Eagle: The Department for Employment and Learning does not collect information on students whose first language is other than English. The following table details FE enrolments by Education and Library Board Area for students whose country of domicile was reported as outside NI in 2004-05 (latest available data).
| Region of Domicile | |||||
| Education and Library Board | Great Britain | Republic of Ireland | European Union( 1) | Other overseas | Total |
| (1
)European Union includes those countries that where members in
November
2004. Notes: 1. Data relates to enrolments over the whole academic year. 2. Current student postcode is used to determine Education and Library Board Area. Source: FESR. | |||||
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) children and (b) adults travelled outside Northern Ireland in each of the last five years for NHS medical assessment. [88171]
Paul Goggins: This information is not collected centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many times his ministerial office has been decorated in each of the last five years. [87641]
Mr. Hain: As Secretary of State for Northern Ireland I have offices in London and Belfast. The London office received minor re-decoration in 2005. The Belfast office was re-decorated in 2004.
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the cost was of travel to Northern Ireland by Ministers in his Department in each of the last eight years. [69668]
Mr. Hain: The cost of travel to Northern Ireland by Ministers is available for the last six years and is as follows:
| £ | |
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many incidences of MRSA bacteria were reported in each health board area by (a) doctors and nurses and (b) others in (i) 2004-05 and (ii) 2005-06; and in how many cases poor cleaning was the suspected cause. [87982]
Paul Goggins: The number of incidences of MRSA bacteria reported broken down by (a) doctors and nurses and (b) others or whether poor cleaning was the suspected cause is not available. However, the total number of MRSA bacteraemia reported within each health board, for 2004-05 and 2005-06, is available, and is detailed in the following table.
| Number | ||
| Health board( 1) | 2004-05 | 2005-06( 2) |
| (1
)Health Board of
Treatment. (2) Figures for 2005-06 only indicate the period 1 April to 31 December 2005. Source: Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre Northern Ireland (CDSC (NI)). | ||
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the use of funds to encourage the removal of murals from gable walls in (a) Loyalist and (b) nationalist areas; by whom the funds will be administered; and who the representatives will be from the communities taking part in the exercise. [85049]
Maria
Eagle: ‘Re-imaging Communities’ is a
£3.3 million funding programme, administered by the Arts Council
of Northern Ireland, for local communities which, over the next three
years, will help communities to develop mural art and public art which
celebrates life and helps people to feel part of the community they
live in. It will
also have a focus on replacing paramilitary murals and emblems with
positive community images. It aims to build on and complement existing,
though ad hoc, initiatives across Northern
Ireland.
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what legislation has been (a) proposed and (b) implemented in relation to the recommendations of the Senior Civil Service Review Team on nationality restrictions. [87270]
Mr. McFadden: I have been asked to reply.
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what bursary entitlements are available for nursing students from Northern Ireland who study in Great Britain. [87977]
Paul Goggins: Throughout the United Kingdom, the funding of student nurse training, including bursary support, is the responsibility of the Health Department in whose area the course of study is being undertaken.
| Student support for pre-registration nursing students for academic year 2006-07 | |||
| £ | |||
| England | Scotland | Wales | |
| (1
)In England students undertaking the degree programme apply for a
means-tested bursary with a student loan while those on the diploma
course are eligible for a non-means tested bursary
only. (2) In England and Wales if students receive the over 26 allowance, they may not receive the single parent allowance also. (3) Child care allowance paid for registered child care—ceiling £117 for one child, £174 for two or more children per week. Scotland pays a contribution to child care up to a ceiling of £1,130 per annum. (4) England and Wales have introduced interim arrangements to continue to pay bursary support to students who are absent from their course due to pregnancy and childbirth for a period up to 45 weeks. | |||
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what legislation applying in Northern Ireland prohibits motorists from parking their cars on pavements. [86307]
David Cairns: The Acting Chief Executive of Roads Service (Mr. Geoff Allister) has been asked to write to the hon. Lady in response to this question.
Letter from Mr. Geoff Allister, dated 25 July 2006:
You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a Parliamentary Question regarding what legislation applying in Northern Ireland deters motorists from parking their cars on pavements.
As this issue falls within my responsibility as Acting Chief Executive of Roads Service, I have been asked to reply.
At present, the principal traffic regulation order relating to waiting and loading restrictions throughout Northern Ireland is the Roads (Restriction of Waiting) Order (Northern Ireland) 1982 (“the 1982 Order”). A yellow line waiting restriction placed on the carriageway applies to all of the side of the road on which it is located, i.e. from the center of the road to the road boundary, which may include a footway or verge. A motorist parking their vehicle on a footway adjacent to a yellow line marking on the carriageway is guilty of an offence.
In addition, the Footways (Prohibition of Waiting) (No. 2) Order (Northern Ireland) 1981 (“the 1981 Order”) prohibits the waiting by motor vehicles, at any time, on footways adjacent to clearways. Any person who contravenes the 1981 Order or the 1982 Order is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £1,000.
Article 88 (obstruction of roads) of the Roads (Northern Ireland) Order 1993 also provides that any person who, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, in any way intentionally or negligently obstructs the free passage along a road shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £500.
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many parliamentary (a) questions and (b) draft answers on Northern Ireland matters tabled by (i) hon. Members for Northern Ireland constituencies and (ii) hon. Members for constituencies in Great Britain have been notified to the North/South Inter-governmental Conference Secretariat in the last 12 months, broken down by hon. Member; [88339]
Mr. Hain: I assume that the hon. Gentleman is referring to the British Irish Inter-Governmental Secretariat (BIIS).
| Number | |
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what (a) guidance he has issued to his Department and (b) procedures are followed with regard to the processing of parliamentary (i) questions and (ii) draft answers on Northern Ireland matters tabled by (A) hon. Members for Northern Ireland constituencies and (B) hon. Members for constituencies in Great Britain. [88575]
Mr. Hain: My parliamentary clerk and his staff have lead responsibility for advising officials dealing with parliamentary questions. Furthermore, each division within the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) has a nominated parliamentary questions co-ordinator who has been fully instructed by parliamentary section in procedures relating to parliamentary questions. Guidance produced by Cabinet Office has been placed on the NIO intranet and is available to all staff.
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of pensioners in Northern Ireland live alone. [87287]
Mr. Hanson: In the 2001 Census there were 261,511 people of pension age (aged 65 or more for males, aged 60 or more for females) in Northern Ireland, of whom 80,486 (31 percent.) lived in single-person households.
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many pensioners in Northern Ireland were re-admitted to hospital as an emergency in each of the last five years. [87289]
Paul Goggins: Information on re-admissions is not currently available.
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in Northern Ireland aged (a) 65 to 74 and (b) over 75 years participated in (i) publicly funded learning and (ii) volunteering in each of the last five years. [87291]
Mr. Hanson: The following table details the number of enrolments of those aged 65 and over on learning courses funded by the Department for Employment and Learning in Northern Ireland for the period 2000-01 to 2004-05 (latest available data).
| Aged 65-74 | Aged 75+ | Total | |
| Source: HESA; FESR | |||
| Formal volunteering | |
Community Volunteering Scheme (Grant Programme)
Figures are only available for aged over 50.
| Total new volunteers | Volunteers aged over 50 | |
Active Communities Initiative (2001-04)
| Number/percentage | |
| Source:
Evaluation of the Active Communities Initiative 2001-04 CENI
2005 | |
| Volunteers | Volunteers aged over 60 years | |
| (1)
Not available
yet | ||
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the number of children in the Province who have plagiocephaly. [88169]
Paul Goggins: The number of children in the Province with plagiocephaly is not known.
| Number of admissions( 1) to a hospital in Northern Ireland for children( 2) with a primary or secondary diagnosis of plagiocephaly( 3) for the years 2002-03 to 2004-05 | |
| Number | |
| (1)
Deaths and Discharges are used as an approximation for
admissions. (2) Children have been defined as under 16. (3) Plagiocephaly has been defined using ICD10 (International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision) code Q67.3. Source: Hospital Inpatients System. | |
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his estimate is (a) of the population growth rate for Northern Ireland and (b) of the total population in Northern Ireland for (i) 2011, (ii) 2021 and (iii) 2031. [88254]
Mr. Hanson: The following table gives the 2005 estimate of the Northern Ireland resident population, and the observed average annual rate of population growth since 2001. The table also shows population projections for the years 2011, 2021, and 2031 and the projected average annual growth rate in population for each time period.
| Population | Northern Ireland population | Average annual growth rate in time period (Percentage) |
| (1)
Estimate (2) Projection | ||
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action his Department is taking to increase the (a) availability and (b) affordability of accommodation in the private rented sector in Northern Ireland. [87284]
Mr. Hanson: The Department for Social Development and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive published their joint strategy for the private rented sector entitled “Renting Privately—A Strategic Framework” in May 2004. The overall aim of the strategy is to promote and sustain a healthy private rented sector, which offers choice and flexibility by influencing supply and securing a better quality, managed sector.
Dr. Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many children whose country of origin is outside Northern Ireland and whose first language is other than English are enrolled in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in each education and library board area, broken down by country of origin. [86563]
Maria Eagle: Information relating to children whose country of origin is outside Northern Ireland is not collected. The figures available relate to the first language of children who were born in a non-English speaking country and for whom English is not their first language.
| Pupils with English as an additional language and born in a non-English speaking country at primary and post primary schools in Northern Ireland 2005-06 | ||||||
| Belfast | Western | North Eastern | South Eastern | Southern | NI Total | |
| (1
)Relates to less than 5
pupils (2) Means figure has not been given under rules of disclosure Notes: 1. Figures for primary schools include children in nursery, reception and Year 1—Year 7 classes. 2. Pupils whose first language is Irish are not included. Source: NI school census | ||||||
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of householders are expected to pay (a) more and (b) less under the new rating system in Northern Ireland; and what the average (i) increase and (ii) decrease is expected to be. [87128]
Mr. Hanson: The percentage of householders which are expected to pay more under the new rating system, compared to what they would have paid under the existing system, is 45 per cent., with 55 per cent. paying less. For those expected to pay more, the average increase is estimated at £166. The average decrease in bill for those paying less is estimated at £99.
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many convictions there were for speeding in Northern Ireland in each year since 2000; and what the average penalty was in each year. [85368]
Mr. Hanson: Figures have been provided for the calendar years 2000 to 2004. In each of these years the vast majority of those convicted of speeding offences were given a fine as the main disposal. Table 1, therefore, provides the total number convicted of speeding offences, the number fined and the average fine amount given in each year.
| Table 1: Number of persons convicted for speeding offences( 1) , number fined and the average amount of fine given 2000-04 | |||
| Number convicted | Number given fine | Average amount of fine( 2) (£) | |
| (1)
Includes convictions for the offences of ‘excess speed’,
‘exceeding special speed limit’,
‘‘L’ driver exceeding 45 mph’,
‘‘R’ driver exceeding 45
mph’. (2) The amount of fine has been rounded to the nearest £. Sentencing data for 2004 is not yet available. | |||
Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the answer of 9 May 2006, Official Report, column 1057W, on Roads Service, what action will be taken to ensure that a strategic route will be provided from South Down to the Belfast/Dublin Corridor as part of the three month comprehensive review of the Regional Development Strategy; and if he will make a statement. [88818]
David Cairns: The acting Chief Executive of Roads Service (Mr. Geoff Allister) has been asked to write to the hon. Gentleman in response to this question.
Letter from Geoff Allister, dated 25 July 2006:
You recently
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a Parliamentary
Question regarding what action will be taken to
ensure that a strategic route will be provided from South Down to
Belfast/Dublin Corridor as part of the three month comprehensive review
of the Regional Development Strategy.
As this issue falls within my responsibility as Acting Chief Executive of Roads Service, I have been asked to reply.
You will be aware that the strategic transport links within Northern Ireland were confirmed when the Northern Ireland Assembly endorsed the Regional Development Strategy in 2001 and the Regional Transportation Strategy in 2002. Improvements to these strategic transport links are being taken forward through the Regional Strategic Transport Network Transport Plan.
The Department’s Regional Planning and Transportation Division is carrying out a focused assessment of the Regional Development Strategy which will consider the need for any in-course adjustments to the Strategy. There are, however, no proposals to re-assess the strategic network.
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) Catholic maintained and (b) state controlled schools have closed over the last five years in each education and library board area; and if he will make a statement. [87995]
Maria Eagle: There have been 14 controlled school closures and six maintained school closures over the past five years.
| Education and library board area | Controlled schools | Maintained schools |
| Education and library board area | Controlled schools | Maintained schools |
Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many pupils started (a) AS-levels and (b) A-levels in Northern Ireland in each year since 1997; how many students chose science as an A or AS-level subject in Northern Ireland in each year; and how many undergraduate students at universities in Northern Ireland chose science or environmental studies as their main area of study in each year. [87097]
Maria Eagle: Information on the number of pupils who started AS-levels is not available. The remaining data is as follows:
| School A2-level entries | School A2-level science entries | First year enrolments on undergraduate science or environmental studies courses | |
| Notes: 1. GCE A-level only, not equivalent qualifications such as AVCEs. 2. A-level science denotes those pupils studying Physics, Chemistry and Biology. 3. Science or environmental studies courses at HE level include HESA subject groups Biological sciences and Physical sciences. HE Figures are based on a snapshot of enrolments at 1 December within the academic year. | |||
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate has been made of the number of service agreements and other funding arrangements between health and social services trusts and area boards and community and voluntary sector service providers; what range of services is covered in such agreements; and what assessment he has made of the implications for such agreements of the Review of Public Administration. [87335]
Paul Goggins: It is estimated that HSS Boards have 292 and HSS Trusts have 997 service agreements with the community and voluntary sector in Northern Ireland. The agreements provide for a wide range of services for older people, services for people with physically and mentally disabilities, services for children, services for Travellers and Health Promotion.
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 31 January 2006, Official Report, column 392W, on the Single Equality Bill, what progress has been made with the Bill. [83290]
Mr. Hanson: We are working on proposals for a Single Equality Bill and will publish these in the autumn.
Mr. Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what the remit is of the Statutory Investment Board; and which projects the board is working on; [88226]
Mr. Hanson: The information is as follows.
1. The remit of the Strategic Investment Board (SIB) is:
(a) to provide advice to the Northern Ireland Executive in relation to the formulation and implementation of its programme of major investment projects;
(b) to provide advice and assistance including research, consultancy, advisory and other services to public bodies in relation to the carrying out of their investment projects;
(c) to advise on the planning and prioritisation of programmes and projects together with the funding and the general implementation of projects.
Tony Watson, Chairman—Chairman re-appointed from 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2009
Nigel Hamilton, re-appointed from 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2007
Greg Sparks, re-appointed from 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2007
James Stewart, re-appointed from 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2009
David Dobbin, appointed 1 October 2005 to 30 September 2008
David Gavaghan, appointed 21 July 2004
Brett Hannam, appointed 11 January 2006
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps his Department is taking to encourage women students in Northern Ireland to undertake science and engineering studies at university. [85367]
Maria Eagle: WISE (Women in Science and Engineering) is a UK wide organisation aimed at attracting more females into SET (Science and Engineering Technology). In Northern Ireland representatives from industry, academia and government meet to plan WISE activities. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment are represented and in 2005, Invest NI provided £5,000 sponsorship for production of a WISE DVD to encourage more young females to consider careers hi SET. The DVD was successfully piloted in October 2005 and is being distributed to schools.
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many students with a learning disability within each of Northern Ireland’s hospital trust areas will (a) transfer at age 19 years in the current academic year from Education Service responsibility to Health and Social Service responsibility and (b) will be offered full adult day care provision by the Department of Health and Social Services as befits their needs; what processes exist within the Department of Health and Social Services to ensure adequate forward planning to meet the needs of those clients in transition from the education sector; and if he will make a statement on the level of provision for such clients within the health and social services sector. [81814]
Paul Goggins [pursuant to the reply, 10 July 2006, Official Report, c. 1505]: I am now in a position to provide the information requested.
The information required to answer parts A and B of this question is given in tabular form.
| Trust | Numbers transferring | Full adult day care |
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much funding has been allocated to Surestart schemes in the Foyle constituency in each of the last five years, broken down by District Electoral Area; and how much investment is planned over the next three years, broken down by District Electoral Area. [87295]
Paul Goggins: The following table shows the allocation of SureStart funding to Projects in the Foyle area since 2001. The table shows the actual expenditure by the projects except for the current year when the Budget Allocation is based on each project’s business plan. The information is not held at District Electoral Area.
| Sure Start allocations to projects in the Foyle area for the years 2001-02 to 2006-07 | |||||
| £ | |||||
| Creevagh/Springtown | Dungiven | Strabane | Shantallow | Total | |
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what strategies for sustainable development the Northern Ireland Office has in place. [80977]
Mr. Hain: The Northern Ireland Office is working along side the Northern Ireland Departments in developing strategies for Sustainable Development and will have the same targets to achieve. I made a speech on this explaining my overall strategy in Belfast on 9 May, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many documents have been translated by the bilingual translation services in the Departments of (a) Education and (b) Health, Social Services and Public Safety in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years; and if he will list the languages for which translation services are provided. [81816]
Maria Eagle: The translation of any documents is provided for Northern Ireland Government Departments by the translation services unit in the Department for Culture, Arts and Leisure. Translations can be provided in any language. Details of the number of documents translated for the Department of Education and Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety in each of the last five years are provided in the following tables.
| Table 1: The Department of Education | |||||
| 2001-02( 1) | 2002-03( 2) | 2003-04( 3) | 2004-05( 4) | 2005-06( 5) | |
| (1)
Two x
Cantonese. (2) One each for Cantonese and Portuguese. (3) One each for Urdu, Cantonese, Portuguese, Arabic, Bengali and French. (4 )French, German, two x Portuguese. (5 )Three x Spanish, four x French, six x Portuguese, four x Lithuanian, two x Hungarian, two x German, Ukrainian, Danish, Afrikaans, Latin, Italian, Bulgarian, Filipino and Russian. | |||||
| Table 2: The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety | |||||
| 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05( 1) | 2005-06( 2) | |
| (1)
Three x Portuguese, Mandarin, Cantonese, Tatum, Urdu,
Polish. (2) Three x Cantonese, two x Polish, Lithuanian, Hindu, Russian, Mandarin, Portuguese. | |||||
An analysis of other figures for 2001-04 is not available from the Department concerned.
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what financial assistance is available to (a) patients who have to travel outside Northern Ireland for NHS treatment and (b) their relatives. [88172]
Paul Goggins: Patients who have to travel outside Northern Ireland for treatment are entitled to receive financial assistance from their local health board for all costs associated with the medical treatment, including any related travel and accommodation costs incurred during the hospital stay.
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) Republicans and (b) Loyalists have been arrested and charged with street disturbances in connection with the recent Twelfth Celebrations; how many such arrests and charges there were in (i) 2003, (ii) 2004 and (iii) 2005; and if he will make a statement. [86321]
Paul Goggins: The information requested in relation to the number of Republicans and Loyalists arrested and charged during the Twelfth Celebrations would require a manual trawl of police records and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. In addition, it would be impossible to confirm whether each arrest made was directly connected to those celebrations.
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what (a) discussions he has had and (b) decisions he has made on expanding Workplace 2010 to involve other public service and local government premises whose future use could be affected by the Review of Public Administration. [87272]
Mr.
Hanson: There have been no decisions taken to expand
Workplace 2010 to include the wider public sector estate. Preparatory
work for the implementation
of the Review of Public Administration is, however, well under way
including considering the impact on central and local government
assets. The Workplace 2010 programme team is involved in this work and
will give due consideration to the outcome in determining the way
forward.
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which premises will be involved in Workplace 2010; and how many jobs in each location he estimates will transfer from the civil service to the facilities manager or landlord, broken down by category. [87273]
Mr. Hanson: It is proposed that 76 properties be included in the Workplace 2010 contract details which are outlined in the following table. It is expected that a range of property and services related functions could transfer to the private sector partner. However, final decisions will not be taken until later and the implications for the staff working in these jobs are still being considered in full consultation with trade union representatives.
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what flexibility is available for bidders under Workplace 2010 to provide alternative locations for civil service employment. [87274]
Mr. Hanson: The geographical location of civil service employment is not a matter for bidders and as such they will not be invited to provide alternative locations. They will, however, be required to provide flexibility within the terms of the contract to respond quickly and efficiently in the event of future decisions on the location of civil service jobs.
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment has been made of the potential for decentralising Civil Service employment under the Government’s plans for Workplace 2010. [87275]
Mr. Hanson: The potential for the decentralisation of civil service jobs has been a key consideration in the development of Workplace 2010. The programme is therefore being progressed on a phased basis. This will ensure that there is sufficient scope and flexibility to relocate civil service jobs within the terms of the contract and as part of a second phase as and when decisions are made.
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the (a) Scottish Executive and (b) Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs have contacted him regarding the Department for Agriculture and Rural Development for Northern Ireland’s New Entrant Scheme for young farmers. [88596]
David Cairns: There have been no formal approaches from either the Scottish Executive or the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs since the New Entrant Scheme was introduced. However there is regular contact among officials in the rural affairs departments across the UK. The scheme and a wide range of other topics on rural development have been covered in these discussions.
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the progress of the New Entrant Scheme for young farmers. [88597]
David Cairns: Since the launch of the scheme on Monday 6 June 2005, there has been considerable interest from potential applicants. Up to the end of June 2006, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development received 139 applications, which exceeds the first year target. Records show that over half of approved applicants accessed the maximum amount of funding allowed under the scheme. The value of individual projects ranges from £20,000 to £400,000. A total of £4.5 million has been allocated to the scheme.
Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps the Government are taking to encourage and expand the number and variety of classes available to adults in non-examination and non-vocational courses in further education. [88809]
Bill Rammell: We are broadly maintaining the overall funding available to support adult learning through to 2007-08 at around £2.9 billion. As I announced last October we have clear priorities for public finding of adult learning. These are to help those without basic literacy and numeracy skills and without the platform of employability represented by a full level 2 qualification. This includes courses which genuinely lead to progression including non vocational and non examination courses. For this reason the then Secretary of State said in her Grant letter to the LSC in October 2005 that she wanted to see a good balance of learning opportunities in every area.
Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many assaults on school staff were recorded in East Riding of Yorkshire local education authority in each of the last nine years; and if he will make a statement. [86334]
Jim Knight: The number of assaults on school staff is not collected centrally.
| Maintained primary, secondary and special schools( 1, 2) . Permanent and fixed period exclusions for physical assault against an adult( 3) and total number of exclusions (all reasons): Numbers and rates per thousand pupils 2003/04 to 2004/05 | ||
| East Riding of Yorkshire | 2004/05 | 2003/04 |
| (1)
Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Includes
maintained special schools, excludes non-maintained special
schools. (3) The distribution of exclusions by
reason has been derived from the Termly Exclusions survey and applied
to the number of permanent exclusions as confirmed by LEAs as part of
the schools census checking exercise. (4) The number
(headcount) of all pupils (excluding dually registered pupils) in
January 2004 and January 2005. (5) The number of
exclusions in 2003/04 and 2004/05 divided by how many thousands of
pupils were on roll in January 2004 and January
2005. | ||
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what publications have been provided by his civil servants as background reading for his ministerial duties since taking office; and if he will make a statement. [87592]
Mr. Dhanda: On taking up my current ministerial post I received background reading material on the policy areas of my Department. I continue to receive reading material on all policy areas as appropriate.
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many new (a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools will (i) start construction and (ii) be completed in each of the next three financial years under the Building Schools for the Future programme; and what proportion of those schools will be (A) new build and (B) refurbished or remodelled. [89104]
Jim Knight: Building Schools for the Future (BSF) is a core part of the DfES’ capital strategy, providing a new approach to capital investment in secondary schools.
In financial year 2007/08, 13 new schools will open, of which two will be refurbished, and a further 118 will start construction.
In financial year 2008/09, 34 new schools will open, of which 24 will be refurbished, and a further 200 will start construction.
In financial year 2009/10, 52 new schools will open, of which 93 will be refurbished, and a further 164 will start construction.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students have completed the Certificate of Financial Skills in each of the last five years for which records are available. [87768]
Jim Knight: The information requested is not available.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what factors were taken into account by the Learning and Skills Council in its decision not to fund the Certificate of Financial Skills. [87769]
Bill Rammell: The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) determines which qualifications are eligible for funding in school sixth forms. Certificates in Financial Studies have not previously been eligible for LSC funding in school sixth forms and that decision was continued for 2006-07. The LSC may determine that a qualification is ineligible if it is a subsidiary qualification to a main programme, as funding of the main programme would be expected to cover subsidiary qualifications. Funding is also not available for qualifications that are regarded as being part of a pupil’s entitlement—such as Key Skills or CLAIT. The LSC provides per pupil entitlement funding for 16-19 year-olds that can be used for such courses.
Mr. Rob Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate he has made of the percentage of abuse of children in the home which is committed by (a) men and (b) women; and what assessment has been made of the extent to which such abuse involves (i) a step-parent and (ii) someone in a transient relationship with the child. [88628]
Beverley Hughes: The information required for such an estimate is not collected centrally.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what public inquiries into the deaths of children in educational establishments have taken place in the past 30 years. [86231]
Jim
Knight: The Department for Education and Skills has
established no public inquiries into child deaths in educational
establishments in England since
1976, nor into child deaths in childcare settings in England, which
became the responsibility of the Department for Education and Skills in
2002. The Department does, however, provide joint guidance for serious
case reviews, which should be held, at local level, where a child has
died and abuse or neglect may have been a factor in the child’s
death.
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how he plans to collect data on performance against national targets for (a) eating five portions of fruit and vegetables a day and (b) take-up of sporting opportunities by five to 16-year-olds. [88045]
Mr. Dhanda: The 5 A DAY Programme does not set specific targets for different population groups. The aim of the programme is to increase fruit and vegetable consumption among the population as a whole, and promote awareness of the 5 A DAY message within a range of settings including schools.
Sir Peter Soulsby: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what analysis he is making of the effects of the introduction of citizenship education into the National curriculum. [87326]
Jim Knight: The Department commissioned the National Foundation for Educational Research in 2001 to carry out an eight year longitudinal study of the impact of citizenship education on young people. The aims of the study also include identifying, measuring and evaluating the extent to which effective practice in citizenship education develops in schools so that such practice can be promoted widely. The Foundation publishes annual reports tracking the progress of the subject. In addition, citizenship is also covered alongside other subjects in Ofsted inspections.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what discusssions his Department has had with the Health and Safety Executive on minimum and maximum temperatures on school buses; [88787]
Jim Knight: Minimum temperatures for classrooms are given in the Education (School Premises) Regulations, SI No2,1999 as 18C. My Department has had no discussions with HSE but has recently issued guidance about maximum and minimum temperatures in classrooms on the popular questions website(1). There are also Regulations applying to staff employed at the school, known as The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992. Regulation (1) states: “During working hours, the temperature in all workplaces inside buildings shall be reasonable.” The guidance and Approved Code of Practice accompanying the Workplace Regulations do not specify maximum temperatures. This is because there are a range of factors which contribute to a person’s thermal comfort and more vulnerable people can suffer heat stress and dehydration at much lower temperatures than others.
(1 )http://www.dfes.gov.uk/popularquestions/
Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children have opted out of collective worship in schools in (a) Surrey and (b) England in each year since 1997. [88722]
Jim Knight: We do not collect this information centrally.
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how other practitioners will be prevented from accessing the restricted parts of the form where a parent or young person has given consent only for part at a common assessment framework submission to be shared; and how notice of a restriction will be signalled. [88047]
Beverley
Hughes: A practitioner undertaking a common assessment
should record on the common assessment framework (CAP) form the details
of consent, or partial consent, that has been given to share
information. It is the responsibility of the individual
practitioner completing the common assessment to ensure that the
information in it is not disclosed to those who should not see it. My
Department has published standards for local IT systems to support CAP,
which provide for practitioners to be prevented from accessing CAP
information where consent has not been
given.
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what happens to the written submissions by agencies involved in children’s services made under the common assessment framework. [88049]
Beverley Hughes: Where agencies contribute by written submission, the practitioner undertaking the common assessment may reflect the content of the submission in the common assessment, subject to the consent of the child, young person, parent or carer, as appropriate. The practitioner undertaking the common assessment may retain such submissions in his or her case files, subject to the provisions of the Data Protection Act.
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether the paperwork produced when a practitioner carries out a Common Assessment Framework assessment on a child will be submitted direct to the Integrated Children’s System. [88050]
Beverley Hughes: The Integrated Children’s System (ICS) and the Common Assessment Framework (CAF) have been developed for different client groups, which overlap only to a limited extent. The ICS contains a record for children known to social services. Many children who have had an assessment using the CAF will not be known to social services, and common assessment information on these children will not be submitted to the ICS. Where, following a common assessment, a child requires the support of social services, the information from the common assessment may be submitted to the ICS where it is appropriate to do so.
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what procedures are followed when two or more practitioners want to share the contents of a Common Assessment Framework. [88051]
Beverley Hughes: Where a practitioner, in undertaking a common assessment, has obtained consent for the content to be shared with other practitioners, the appropriate consent will be recorded. How information will be shared may vary according to local circumstances and whether the Common Assessment Framework exists in paper form only or has been recorded on an IT system. However the information is shared, services and practitioners must ensure that information is kept securely and processed according to the provisions of the Data Protection Act. For local authorities who choose to set up local IT systems to support the Common Assessment Framework, my Department has published standards for such systems which provide for a practitioner to specify by name another practitioner who may then have access.
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people over the age of 55 years have been recruited into his Department in each of the last three years. [77279]
Mr. Dhanda [pursuant to the reply, 5 July 2006, Official Report, c. 1225W]: The number of people over the age of 55 years who have been recruited into my Department in each of the last three years is:
| Number | |
These replace the previous numbers given.
Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps his Department is taking to tackle low life expectancy in areas of deprivation. [87007]
Mr. Dhanda [holding answer 20 July 2006]: This Department makes a significant contribution to reducing low life expectancy through our programmes for children, young people and their families.
Support for parents and their parenting skills. Parents’ life style is a key determinant of children’s health, and children’s centres provide support, including on health and lifestyle issues, to those parents who need it. The first 884 children’s centres have been established serving many of our most disadvantaged communities;
Eradicating child
poverty: Children born into poverty have a lower life expectancy.
Childcare, education and training and
other high quality children’s services are both helping parents
into work and providing the opportunities to break the
intergenerational cycle of
poverty;
Reducing pregnancies among under-18s: infant mortality rates are highest among babies born to young, single mothers;
Implementing nutritional standards for all food in schools to promote healthy eating;
Increasing the take up of physical education, sport and other physical activities at school, including increasing walking and cycling to and from school, to encourage healthy exercise;
Promoting improvements in mental health and emotional well-being for children and young people, so that they are resilient and less likely to take risks or suffer that some poor outcomes;
Tackling childhood obesity in the short-term, and measures to prevent overweight or obese children becoming obese adults: obesity is responsible for 9,000 premature deaths each year;
Ensuring children and young people learn about the risks to their health from unsafe sexual activity, tobacco, alcohol and substance abuse, and how they can get help if they have problems.
This Department has made health inequalities a mandatory target for local authorities in Local Area Agreements (LAAs).
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what improvements have been made to drugs education in schools since the re-classification of cannabis. [88021]
Mr. Dhanda: Following the re-classification of cannabis in January 2004 the Department issued comprehensive guidance to schools on drugs (Drugs: Guidance for Schools) which included a clear statement about the importance of educating young people about the legal status and harmful effects of cannabis. We have continued to expand the Personal, Social and Heath Education (PSHE) continuing professional development programme, which includes standards for the teaching of drug education. Over 5,000 teachers and community nurses have benefited from this programme. The numbers of schools involved in the Healthy Schools Programme, which requires schools to have a PSHE programme including drug education, continues to rise. We are on track to reach our target of half of all schools being healthy schools by the end of 2006. In conjunction with the Home Office and Department of Health we have concluded the implementation of the Blueprint drug education research programme and are now analysing the research findings. Blueprint was set up to evaluate an evidence-based multi-component programme of drug education at Key Stage 3. From September secondary schools will have access to a new resource. ‘Understanding Drugs’ provides information on a range of drugs, including cannabis, for pupils aged 11-14 and suggestions for teaching and learning activities within the classroom.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how many and what percentage of students left (a) university and (b) Russell group universities before completion of their course in each of the last five years for which records are available; [88590]
Bill Rammell: The information is provided by Table 5 of the Performance Indicators in Higher Education in the UK, published by HESA from 2002/03 and by HEFCE before that. This shows the percentage of full-time, first degree entrants projected to gain their degree, transfer to another course and to neither obtain their degree nor transfer. The latest available figures are shown in the tables.
| Full-time first degree entrants expected to neither obtain an award nor transfer | |||||
| Number | |||||
| Courses starting in: | 1999/2000 | 2000/01 | 2001/02 | 2002/03 | 2003/04 |
| Note: Numbers are rounded to the nearest 5 so components may not sum to
totals. Source: Performance
indicators in higher education, published by the Higher Education
Statistics Agency
(HESA). | |||||
| Full-time first degree entrants expected to neither obtain an award nor transfer | |||||
| Percentage | |||||
| Courses starting in: | 2000/01 | 2001/02 | 2002/03 | 2003/04 | 2004/05 |
| Note: Percentages are rounded to the first decimal place.
Source: Performance indicators in higher
education, published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency
(HESA). | |||||
Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the total cost of (a) administrating and (b) buying allocations for all universities included in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme was in its first year of operation. [82737]
Bill Rammell: The information requested is not collected centrally.
Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what organistional structures his Department supports in developing the proposals in Every Child Matters; and if he will make a statement. [87359]
Beverley Hughes [holding answer 24 July 2006]: The local delivery of Every Child Matters is driven by local authority Directors of Children’s Services and Lead Members for Children’s Services working closely with a range of partners through children’s trust arrangements. These arrangements are underpinned by Section 10 of the Children Act 2004 which places the local authority and ‘relevant partners’ under a duty to cooperate to improve children’s well-being in relation to the five Every Child Matters outcomes. Children and Young People’s Plans set out the priorities for improvement, across all local services affecting children and young people, showing how and when they will be achieved. Support and challenge by central Government are mainly provided through the nine regional Government Offices.
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how he expects that local authorities will collect data linked to the five outcomes in Every Child Matters when assessing targets and public service agreements; and on what databases that information will be stored. [88048]
Beverley Hughes: Local authorities record data on their performance across the five outcomes through a number of collections that are returned to the DfES. A number of local authorities are now storing information about the five outcomes on children's service databases, and we expect this to become the norm as all local authorities adopt children's services structures. DfES accesses local authorities' children's services data via the internet.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many 16 year olds achieved five GCSE passes in each London borough in each year since 1997. [87640]
Jim Knight: The following table shows the number of 15-year-old(1) pupils achieving five or more GCSEs or equivalents at grades A* to G in maintained schools in each year since 1997.
(1) Pupils aged 15 at the start of the academic year i.e. 31 August
| 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | |
| Percentage | |||||||||
| 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | |
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of students achieved five or more GCSE grade A*-C in comprehensive secondary schools of (a) fewer than 100 students, (b) 100 to 199 students, (c) 200 to 299 students, (d) 300 to 399 students, (e) 400 to 499 students, (f) 500 to 599 students, (g) 600 to 700 students and (h) over 700 students in (i) rural areas and (ii) areas not classified as rural in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [87751]
Jim Knight: The information requested can be found in the following table.
| GCSE and equivalent achievement of pupils( 1) at the end of Key Stage 4 by the end of 2004/05( 2) in comprehensive schools( 3) in rural and non-rural areas, by size of school | ||||||
| Number of pupils at end of Key Stage 4 | Number of pupils at end of Key Stage 4 achieving 5+ A*-C at GCSE or equivalent | Percentage of pupils at end of Key Stage 4 achieving 5+ A*-C at GCSE or equivalent | ||||
| Total number of pupils in school | (i) Rural schools | (ii) Non-rural schools | (i) Rural schools | (ii) Non-rural schools | (i) Rural schools | (ii) Non-rural schools |
| (1)
Number of pupils on roll at the end of Key Stage 4 in the 2004/ 05
academic year. (2) Includes achievements by these pupils in
previous academic years. (3) Including City Technology
Colleges and
Academies. | ||||||
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how many (a) permanent and (b) fixed period exclusions there were broken down by reason for exclusion, in each London borough for the latest year for which figures are available; [86979]
Jim Knight: The available information has been placed in the House Library.
Mr.
Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for
Education and Skills how many pupils achieved grade C or above in
(a) mathematics, (b) English, (c)
physics, (d) chemistry and (e) history in each year since
1997, broken down by region.
[86437]
Jim Knight: The following tables show the number of 15-year-old pupils(1) achieving a grade C or above at GCSE in each year since 1997, in mathematics, English, physics, chemistry, and history, broken down by region.
| (a) Number of 15- year- old pupils( 1) achieving a grade C or above in mathematics GCSE | |||||||||
| Thousand | |||||||||
| 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | |
| (b) Number of 15—year-old pupils( 1) achieving a grade C or above in English GCSE | |||||||||
| Thousand | |||||||||
| 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | |
| (c) Number of 15-year-old pupils( 1) achieving a grade C or above in physics GCSE | |||||||||
| Thousand | |||||||||
| 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | |
| (d) Number of 15-year-old pupils( 1) achieving a grade C or above in chemistry GCSE | |||||||||
| Thousand | |||||||||
| 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | |
| (e) Number of 15 year old pupils( 1) achieving a grade C or above in history GCSE | |||||||||
| Thousand | |||||||||
| 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | |
| (1
)Pupils aged 15 at the start of the academic year, i.e. 31 August.
(2 )Merseyside was absorbed into North West
post-1997. | |||||||||
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students failed to turn up for at least one examination in each of the past five years at (a) GCSE and (b) A level. [86861]
Jim Knight: The information requested on students who fail to turn up for examinations is not held centrally by the Department.
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what proportion of 15-year-olds achieved (a) five or more, (b) seven or more and (c) nine or more A*-C grades at GCSE and equivalent in each year since 1996. [87895]
Jim Knight: The information requested is shown in the following table:
| Number and percentage of 15-year-old pupils( 1) achieving the following GCSEs or equivalents 5 or more A*-C grades | ||||||
| 5 or more A*-C grades | 7 or more A*-C grades | 9 or more A*-C grades | ||||
| Number | Percentage | Number | Percentage | Number | Percentage | |
| (1)
Aged 15 at the start of the academic year ie 31
August. | ||||||
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures his Department takes to ensure that homophobic bullying in (a) boarding and (b) private schools is properly addressed. [88118]
Jim Knight: All independent schools in England must be registered with my Department. All registered schools have to meet the standards set out in the Education (Independent School Standards) (England) Regulations 2003, as amended, which cover six main areas including the quality of the education provided; the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils; and the welfare, health and safety of pupils. Schools are required to draw up and implement effectively, a written policy to prevent all kinds of bullying.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps he is taking to inform parents of the possible risks of allowing their children to use the internet unsupervised. [88802]
Mr. Dhanda: The Department for Education and Skills has for several years, through the parents online site and later from January 2005 through the parents centre site, provided advice and guidance to parents on using the internet safely with their children. This includes advice on the potential risks of using the internet unsupervised.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps he is taking to teach children about the possible risks of using the internet. [88844]
Mr. Dhanda: ICT is compulsory for pupils aged five to 16 and covers analysis, evaluation and responsible use of electronic information, including the internet.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the (a) start date, (b) original planned completion date, (c) current expected completion date, (d) planned cost and (e) current estimated cost is for each information technology project being undertaken by his Department and its agencies; and if he will make a statement. [87177]
Phil Hope: The information as requested is not readily available centrally within the Department for Education and Skills. To respond fully would involve an extensive internal and external information collection exercise which would exceed the recommended disproportionate cost threshold.
Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the introduction of life skills into the national curriculum. [87953]
Jim
Knight: The national curriculum has the statutory aim of
preparing pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and
experiences of life. In addition to this, a non statutory framework for
personal, social and health education (PSHE) was introduced in 2000.
PSHE presents opportunities to give pupils the knowledge, skills and
understanding to lead confident, healthy and independent lives.
Citizenship education
which covers social and moral responsibility, political literacy and
community involvement, was introduced as a statutory subject in
2002.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to use the Olympics as a way of encouraging more women into the construction sector. [88205]
Phil Hope: In preparation for the Olympics, Construction Skills have set up a team ‘Constructing London 2012’ to identify the skills needed to deliver the Games. They are working closely with the LSC to identify training requirements and how best to attract women into the sector. In the recent White Paper “Further Education: Raising Skills, Improving Life Chances”, the Government announced a £20 million per annum package to tackle the barriers many women face in the labour market. This includes a London based Train to Gain pilot project focusing on training at level 3 for occupational areas where women are under-represented. It also includes testing new recruitment and career pathways in sectors where women face barriers to the labour market.
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when he last met his Scottish counterpart; and what subjects were discussed. [88776]
Mr. Dhanda: I have not met the Scottish Minister for Education and Young People since becoming Secretary of State for Education and Skills.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many times his ministerial office has been decorated in each of the last five years. [87648]
Mr. Dhanda: The Department for Education and Skills decorated the ministerial office in the financial year 2004/05 only.
Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many school leavers in (a) West Lancashire constituency, (b) Lancashire, (c) the North West and (d) England have taken up a modern apprenticeship after completion of their GCSEs in each year since 1997. [83540]
Phil Hope: The Apprenticeship programme continues to go from strength to strength with record numbers of young people participating and completion rates continuing to improve. Numbers of school leavers (i.e. 16 year olds) who have taken up an Apprenticeship in England since 2002-03 are as follows:
| Apprenticeships (at level 2) | Advanced Apprenticeships (at level 3) | Total Apprenticeships (at levels 2 & 3) | |
Letter from Mark Haysom , dated 25 July 2006:
I am writing in response to your Parliamentary Question that asked how many school leavers in.
West Lancashire Constituency,
Lancashire Local LSC area,
North West region
and England,
have taken up Modern Apprenticeship after completion of their GCSE’s each year since 1997.
The information in the table shows the volumes of learners who started on Advanced Apprenticeship and Apprenticeship programmes for each year since 2002/03. This data for 16-18 year olds, is used as a proxy for school leavers in this analysis. The data is for each geographical area as requested. Consistent and comparable data for Work Based Learning is only available for analysis from 2002/03 onwards, which is the first full year of the operation of the LSC.
| LSC funded 16-18 starts to Advanced Apprenticeships and Apprenticeships | ||||
| West Lancashire | Lancashire LSC area | North West Region | England | |
| Note: Figures are based on age at the start of training. Location of a learner is linked to their home postcode. Source: Work Based Learning ILR, LSC July 2006 | ||||
The successful continuation of Work Based Learning has been recently highlighted in the Statistical First Releases for participation and success rates for the 2004/05 academic year. Most notably, the average number in learning on Apprenticeships in 2004/05 increased by 7.6% over 2003/04 and the trend away from NVQ Training towards Apprenticeships has continued. Current success rates for complete frameworks in all types of Apprenticeships have increased by 9 percentage points to 40% in 2004/05 and are currently running at over 50% for the 2005/06 academic year.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many modern apprenticeships are being undertaken, broken down by responsible sector skills councils. [88203]
Phil Hope: There are over 180 different Apprenticeship (formerly called Foundation Modem Apprenticeship) or Advanced Apprenticeship (formerly called Advanced Modern Apprenticeship) frameworks on offer to potential learners; the responsibility for each framework lies within an appropriate Sector Skills Council’s remit. Accurate data on numbers of Apprenticeships by Sector Skills Council are not held centrally at present. In lieu of the fact that accurate figures are not held, a lower level disaggregation is provided in the following table which shows 2004/05 Apprenticeships (average numbers in learning) broken down by sector framework (numbers are rounded up to the nearest 10).
| Average in learning | |||
| Sector framework title | Advanced Apprenticeships | Apprenticeships | Total |
Arts and Entertainment, Cultural Heritage, Information and Library Services | |||
Chemical, Pharmaceutical, Retro-Chemical Manufacturing and Refining Industries | |||
| Source: WBL 2004/05ILR, Learning and Skills Council July 2006 | |||
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the (a) age profile, (b) sex profile and (c) success rate is of individuals who are undertaking modern apprenticeship schemes. [88204]
Bill Rammell: Apprenticeships are the main programme for young employed people seeking qualifications at Level 2 and Level 3.
| Type of apprenticeship programme | Age | Gender | Average in learning( 1) | Current framework success rate (Percentage) | Overall framework success rate (Percentage) |
| (1
)Average in learning is defined as the average number of learners
in learning in any period Notes: Age is
based on the age of the learner at the start of the
course Source: WBL 2004/05ILR, Learning & Skills Council | |||||
Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many modern apprenticeships have been undertaken in (a) Barnsley and (b) Doncaster in each of the last eight years. [88380]
Phil Hope: Figures for those participating in Apprenticeships (previously called Modern Apprenticeships) funded by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) can be derived from the Individualised Learner Record (ILR). This was collated for the first time in 2001/02 (as an Interim ILR) and consistent and comparable figures are currently only available for the three following years.
| Advanced Apprenticeship | Apprenticeship | Total | |
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the adequacy of resources allocated to the teaching of music A-level; and if he will make a statement. [88010]
Jim Knight: It is for individual schools and colleges to decide which qualifications they offer post 16 and to allocate the necessary resources to deliver those qualifications.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 26 October 2005, Official Report, column 392W, on National Vocational Qualifications, how many National Vocational Qualifications were awarded in food preparation and cooking in 2005-06. [88839]
Phil Hope: There were 17,200 National Vocational Qualifications in food preparation and cookery awarded in 2004-05, which is the latest year for which information is available.
Mr. Gauke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what administrative functions for which his Department is responsible are outsourced overseas; and what assessment he has made of the merits of outsourcing further such functions overseas. [81548]
Mr.
Dhanda: A complete answer could be provided only at
disproportionate cost. However, from the information we have available,
we do not appear to have outsourced any administrative functions
overseas. The Department complies with European law and the World Trade
Organisation Government Procurement Agreement
and has no plans to outsource administrative functions overseas. We will
consider the position for individual functions whenever
appropriate.
Mr. Gauke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many partially selective secondary schools there are within the maintained sector in England. [85975]
Jim Knight: The information requested is not collected centrally as admission arrangements are set locally, after an annual consultation process.
Mr. Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which local education authorities are expected to conclude new private finance initiative contracts in 2006-07. [88669]
Jim Knight: The following local authorities are expected to sign private finance initiative (PFI) contracts in 2006-07 :
Peterborough—July 2006
Lewisham—July 2006
Slough—August/September 2006
Salford—September 2006
Plymouth—December 2006
Doncaster—March 2007.
Ms Barlow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of teachers in primary schools in England was male (a) in 1977 and (b) on the latest date for which information is available. [89146]
Jim Knight: In March 1977 23 per cent. of full-time regular qualified teachers employed in maintained primary schools were male compared to 15.7 per cent. in March 2004 (provisional). This is the latest year for which figures are available.
http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DBA/OL/v000633/Additionald.xls
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many permanent and fixed period exclusions took place in (a) England, (b) each region and (c) each local education authority in the latest year for which figures are available, broken down by reason for exclusion. [88568]
Jim Knight: The requested information has been placed in the House Library.
Mr.
Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for
Education and Skills in how many schools 50 per cent.
or more of the pupils do not have English as their first language,
broken down by region.
[86435]
Jim Knight: The available information is given in the table.
| Maintained primary and secondary schools( 1) : Number of schools by percentage of school population whose first language is known or believed to be other than English( 2,3) —as at January 2006 (provisional)—by Government office region | ||||||
| Number of schools | ||||||
| Percentage of school population whose first language is known or believed to be other than English is: | ||||||
| Less than 50 | 50 or more | All schools | ||||
| Primary | Secondary | Primary | Secondary | Primary | Secondary | |
| (1)
Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Excludes
dually registered pupils. (3) Pupils of compulsory
school age and above are classified according to their first
language. Source: Schools
Census | ||||||
Mr. Wills: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what the pupil-teacher ratio was in primary schools in Swindon in each year since 1997; [86634]
Jim Knight: The following table provides the pupil-teacher ratio in maintained primary and secondary schools in Swindon local authority in each January from 1997 to 2005 (the latest year for which information is available at local authority level). Information for England from 1997 to 2006 is also given to enable comparison.
| Pupil-teacher ratios( 1) in maintained primary and secondary schools in Swindon local authority and England, January 1997 to 2006 | ||||
| Primary | Secondary | |||
| Swindon | England | Swindon | England | |
| (1)
The pupil-teacher ratio is the full-time equivalent number of pupils
divided by the full-time equivalent number of qualified teachers.
Dually registered pupils are
excluded. (2) Swindon local authority was created in the local government reorganisation of 1.4.97. (3) Provisional. Source: Annual School Census | ||||
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what targets he has set for school recycling; [86458]
(4) how much school waste has been recycled by private companies in the last 10 years; [86461]
(5) what discussions he has had with European Governments on the recycling of school waste. [86464]
Mr. Dhanda: Central Government have not set any specific recycling targets for schools. There are targets for local authority recycling of household waste which does not include waste from schools. We do not know how much school waste has been recycled in the last 10 years.
DfES has not had discussions with European Governments on the recycling of school waste.
(1) www.teachernet.gov.uk/sustainableschools
Mr. Leigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps he plans to take to ensure the preservation of the ethos of religious schools when the provisions in the Education and Inspections Act 2006 which replace external advisers appointed by a school’s governing body with a schools improvement inspector appointed by the local authority come into force. [88598]
Jim Knight: We are introducing school improvement partners (SIPs) to support the accountability that local authorities have for the standards and levels of attainment in their schools. When local authorities appoint SIPs to schools we expect them to pay attention to the preferences, needs and characteristics, including religious characteristics, of individual schools and their governing bodies, and we expect SIPs to be responsive to the individual circumstances and characteristics of the schools they work with, including their religious characteristics. The national assessment for people seeking accreditation to be SIPs stresses this expectation. It is designed to withhold accreditation from anybody who might work with a school without taking account of the ethos and other features of the school. These expectations are set out clearly for local authorities and SIPs to support introduction of the SIP programme.
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures his Department takes to ensure that private schools teach religious studies appropriately. [88117]
Jim Knight: All independent schools in England must be registered with my Department. All registered schools have to meet the standards set out in the Education (Independent School Standards) (England) Regulations 2003, as amended, which cover six main areas including the quality of the education provided; the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils; and the welfare, health and safety of pupils. Schools are required to assist pupils to acquire an appreciation of and respect for their own and other cultures in a way which promotes tolerance and harmony between different cultural traditions.
Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the role of helplines in the provision of services for children and young people who run away; and what plans he has to extend that role. [88937]
Beverley Hughes: Helplines are one of a number of ways in which children who run away, or are thinking about running, can get help. The National Missing Person’s Helpline is one, which this year has received about £900,000 central Government funding. Other helplines available to young people in crisis, such as Connexions Direct and others run by voluntary and community organisations, do an important job advising runaways and their families.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children in (a) Brent East and (b) Brent (i) are entitled to and (ii) claim free school meals. [87500]
Jim Knight: The information requested is shown in the following table:
| Maintained Nursery, Primary and Secondary Schools( 1) : School Meal Arrangements( 2) January 2006( 3) | |||||
| Number on roll | Number of pupils taking free school meals ( 3) | Percentage taking free school meals | Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals | Percentage known to be eligible for free school meals | |
| (1)
Includes middle schools as deemed (2) Includes
dually registered pupils and boarding pupils. (3)
Provisional (4) Number of pupils who took a free
school meal on the day of the census in January.
Source: Schools
Census | |||||
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what assessment he has made of the condition of school premises; [89116]
Jim Knight: Based on data supplied to the Department over recent months by local education authorities, it is estimated that schools have repair and maintenance requirements of approximately £8.8 billion. This compares with £9.0 billion and £8.8 billion shown in data received in 2001 and 2003 respectively. Costs have been updated to current prices. In addition to backlog repair work, the figures cover work needed over a five year period from the dates of the assessments from which the data are derived, including cyclical and scheduled maintenance. The cost of urgent work has reduced by approximately 30 per cent. against the data received in 2001.
Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent assessment he has made of the level of testing in schools; and if he will make a statement. [87954]
Jim Knight: The levels of testing have remained consistent for a number of years. There are three sets of national tests in the first nine years of education. This requirement for independent, objective evidence of performance is by no means excessive when set alongside the billions of pounds of public money that are invested in the education system each year.
The total number of statutory test papers taken during this time would amount to about 20.
We believe the current level of assessment for English, maths and science is appropriate.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the required toilet to (a) male and (b) female pupil ratio is in (i) primary and (ii) secondary schools. [86981]
Jim Knight: To comply with the 1999 School Premises Regulations, mainstream schools should have at least one WC or urinal per 20 pupils over five years of age. Washroom facilities must be adequate, having regard to the ages, sexes, numbers of pupils and any special requirements that they may have.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the likely effects of the proposed reform of the secondary education system on the number of jobs in the sector. [88808]
Jim Knight: Decisions about staffing levels in schools are taken by individual governing bodies, based on the delegated funding they receive. Nothing in the Education and Inspections Bill changes this—it will still be for schools to determine their own staffing levels and structures.
Sir Peter Soulsby: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) pursuant to his answer of 13 June 2006, Official Report, columns 1101-02W, on selective mutism, what steps his Department has taken to ensure that education experts and schools are aware of the video, DVD and accompanying book on selective mutism; [88605]
Mr. Dhanda: Publicising and disseminating particular resources would be a matter for the originating party, rather than the Department. However, we do operate an inclusion website http://inclusion.nqfl.gov.uk which includes information on available materials relevant to special educational needs and disability. It is open to organisations to publicise their resources through that.
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance he has issued to ensure that local authority provision for children with special educational needs is dependent on need rather than local budgetary or resource considerations; and if he will make a statement. [87961]
Mr. Dhanda: The Special Educational Needs (SEN) Code of Practice, issued by the Secretary of State in 2001 is statutory guidance. It gives guidance to schools and local authorities on their duties under the Education Act 1996 to identify, assess and make provision for children with special educational needs. Most children with SEN are supported from within the resources available to their school. But local authorities have a duty, where necessary, to carry out statutory SEN assessments and make and maintain SEN statements specifying the provision that an individual child's special educational needs call for. Local authorities have to arrange the special educational provision required to meet the child’s needs and make available the necessary funding for that provision.
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many special schools for children with (a) special educational needs and (b) behavioural, emotional and social difficulties there were in each local education authority area in each year since 1997. [86012]
Jim Knight [holding answer 17 July 2006]: The available information has been placed in the House Library.
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures his Department takes to ensure that private and boarding schools teach sex education appropriately and sufficiently. [88116]
Mr. Dhanda: All independent schools in England must be registered with my Department. All registered schools have to meet the standards set out in the Education (Independent School Standards) (England) Regulations 2003, as amended, which cover six main areas including the quality of the education provided; the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils; and the welfare, health and safety of pupils. The standards require all independent schools to provide personal, social and health education, which reflects the ethos and aims of the school.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many of the participants in the Skills for Life Strategy are (a) male and (b) female. [88244]
Phil
Hope: Between 2001 and July 2005, the Skills for Life
Strategy has helped 1,275,000 people improve their literacy, language
or numeracy skills. Figures from
2003/04, the last year for which confirmed figures are currently
available, show that 45 per cent. of Sills for Life achievements were
by males and 55 per cent. were by females. The aim of the Skills for
Life Strategy is to help all learners who may be at disadvantage in
life and at work through poor skills to improve their literacy,
language and numeracy ability so that they are better able to support
their families, contribute to community life and perform successfully
at
work.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will undertake (a) an assessment of and (b) public consultation upon the merits of measures to ban the smacking of children by their parents. [87807]
Mr. Dhanda: Section 58 of the Children Act 2004, which was passed by a free vote in the House of Lords, and another free vote in the Commons, removed the defence of reasonable chastisement for offences of Actual Bodily Harm or worse against children. The Government believe that this will ensure the proper protection of children without criminalising loving parents for administering a trivial smack.
Mr. Boris Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of students in England paid (a) none, (b) part and (c) all of their fees in 2005/06. [83157]
Bill Rammell: The percentage of students in England in 2004/05 making a nil, partial or full contribution to their tuition fees is given in the table:
| Percentage of students | |
| Note: 1. Data do not include those students who decide not to apply to
the SLC for any student support. 2. Data for 2005/06 will not
be available until November 2006. Source:
Student Loans Company
(SLC). | |
In 2004/05, students on full-time undergraduate courses and their families were
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment his Department has made of levels of stress experienced by students (a) taking written and oral exams and (b) undertaking coursework and continual assessment. [86714]
Jim Knight: The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA), which is responsible for the regulation of qualifications and examinations in England, takes the issue of the assessment burden on candidates seriously, including stress levels. When qualifications are developed, the QCA looks both at the overall manageability and the burden on students taking the qualifications. In recent years, for example, measures have been taken to reduce the length of some A level examination papers in order to reduce the total exam burden for students. The 14-19 White Paper, published last year, gave QCA a remit to address three concerns about coursework assessment, one of which related to the overall burden on students. QCA has recently submitted its advice to the Secretary of State and we will be responding in due course.
John Cummings: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the Sure Start schemes in Easington constituency; and what plans he has for the future of Sure Start in Easington. [87862]
Beverley Hughes: There are four designated Sure Start children’s centres within the Easington constituency with a further four planned by the end of September 2006. The centres will reach a total of 3301 children under the age of five. Three of the children's centres are based on Sure Start Local Programmes (SSLPs) and two are based on mini Sure Start local programmes. Each of the Sure Start local programmes carried out their own local evaluations assessing progress against a range of outcomes as part of their local level monitoring and evaluation. Findings from the local evaluations have been used to inform good practice in Sure Start children's centres. Local authorities play a key role in identifying numbers of children’s centres, their location and the range of services offered. They are also responsible for putting in place effective monitoring and performance management arrangements to assess the quality of the centres.
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what training staff in Sure Start projects are expected to have regarding identifying people with mental health problems and dealing with them appropriately. [88020]
Beverley Hughes: The Sure Start Children’s Centres Practice Guidance (published in November 2005) gives advice to local authorities on the sort of prevention and intervention services children’s centres should provide in order to promote the mental health and well-being of young children and their parents. Local authorities together with key partners such as primary care trusts are responsible for ensuring services are of high quality. This includes identifying and addressing the training needs of staff working in children’s centres.
Mr. Wills: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how many full-time equivalent qualified teachers were employed in primary schools in Swindon in each year since 1997; [86633]
Jim Knight: The following table provides the full-time equivalent number of regular qualified teachers employed in maintained nursery/primary and secondary schools in Swindon local authority in each January from 1997 to 2005 (the latest year for which information is available at local authority level). Information for England from 1997 to 2006 is also given to enable comparison.
| Full-time equivalent qualified teachers employed in maintained nursery/primary and secondary schools in Swindon local authority and England, January 1997 to 2006 | ||||
| Nursery/Primary | Secondary | |||
| Swindon | England | Swindon | England | |
| (1)
Swindon local authority was created in the local Government
reorganisation of 1.4.97. (2) Provisional. Notes: Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Source: Survey of teachers in service and teacher vacancies, (618g) | ||||
Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many newly qualified teachers obtained employment in full-time teaching positions in schools related to the subject in which they trained in 2006. [87955]
Jim Knight: The information requested is not collected centrally.
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what training teachers receive on how to deal with children with (a) special educational needs and (b) communication disabilities; and if he will make a statement. [87960]
Mr. Dhanda: In order to be awarded Qualified Teacher Status, all trainee teachers must demonstrate that they understand their responsibilities under the statutory Special Educational Needs Code of Practice, know how to seek advice from specialists on less common types of SEN, can differentiate their teaching to meet the needs of pupils, including those with SEN, and within that pupils with speech, language and communication difficulties, and can identify and support pupils who experience behavioural, emotional and social difficulties.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teachers (a) retired and (b) retired on the grounds of ill health, broken down by type of ill health, in each year since 1997. [88441]
Jim Knight: The following tables provide: (a) the number of teachers who retired in each year from 1989-90 to 2004-05 broken down by the type of award, (premature, age and ill health); and (b) ill health retirements by diagnosis in each 12-month period from 1 October 2002, the earliest date from which data have been collected in this form.
http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/VOL/v000633/index.shtml.
| Retirements from the maintained schools sector( 1) : Type of award and sex by year of award, 1989-90 to 2004-05—England | ||||||
| Premature( 2) | Age | |||||
| Financial year (1 April to 31 March) | Men | Women | Men and women | Men | Women | Men and women |
| Ill-health( 3) | Total | |||||
| Financial year (1 April to 31 March) | Men | Women | Men and women | Men | Women | Men and women |
| (1)
Excludes sixth form colleges. (2) The effect of the
change in the Teachers' Pension Scheme as from 31 August 1997 was that
many more teachers took early retirement in 1997 than in previous
years. Premature includes Actuarially Reduced Benefit retirements from
2000-01. (3) Changes in the statutory regulations
governing ill-health retirement came into force on 1 April 1997. To
quality for ill-health retirement benefits a teacher must now be
regarded as permanently unfit to teach. (4) All
years are subject to slight revision due to the addition of
retrospective awards and suspension of pension benefits where teachers
return to service. (5) 2002-03, 2003-04 and 2004-05
are provisional estimates. Source: Pensioner
Statistical System
(PENSTATS). | ||||||
| Ill-health retirements by diagnosis( 1) | |||
| Diagnosis | 2002-03( 2) | 2003-04( 2) | 2004-05( 2) |
| (1)
Figures are for ill-health retirements from all education sectors in
England and Wales pensionable under the Teachers' Pensions
Scheme. (2 )Each year covers the period 1 October to
30 September. (3) Less than 5.
Note: Figures have been rounded to the nearest 5. Source: DfES medical advisers. | |||
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate he has made of the cost to the Government in the year of introduction of raising tuition fees by (a) £1,000 and (b) £100 where the payment of tuition fees is deferred until graduation. [81111]
Bill Rammell [holding answer 29 June 2006]: Estimates of the costs to Government of tuition fee loans for full-time undergraduates in England are based on the assumption that 9 per cent. of students are charged a fee of £2,000 and 91 per cent. of students are charged a fee of £3,000 ie the average fee for new students will be £2,910. For an average fee of £3,010.The additional costs in the 2006/07 academic year would be around £5 million,(1) and for an average fee of £3,910, the additional costs for the same academic year would be £70 million or more. In each case, we have used our existing assumptions: that a tuition fee loan is available to meet the full cost of tuition fees, that the total cost of providing tuition fee loans over their lifetime is 33 per cent. of their face value, and that 80 per cent. of eligible students take them up. These estimates are approximate as significant changes in the fee level would be likely to have an effect on assumptions.
The maximum fee cannot be raised by more than inflation until 2 January 2010
and only then with the approval of both Houses of Parliament.
(1) Cost estimates rounded to the nearest £5 million.
Mr. Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans the Government have to improve vocational training for young people in Houghton and Washington East. [82283]
Phil Hope: The new specialised Diplomas will provide an exciting, aspirational and stretching programme of learning for young people of all abilities and backgrounds, including the most able, who enjoy learning in a practical environment. A new statutory entitlement to study for a Diploma will be in place for all 14 to 19-year-olds from September 2013.
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) expulsions and (b) temporary exclusions from schools there have been for the possession of (i) knives and (ii) firearms in each year since 1996. [86436]
Jim Knight: The requested information is not available.
Mrs. James: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the merits of child personal security in youth clubs where people over 18 years may attend a youth club as a user of such clubs; and if he will make a statement. [86495]
Mr. Dhanda: In considering the standards of provision, the Department would expect local authorities to take account of the Statutory Guidance on the Duty to Safeguard and Promote the Welfare of Children under section 11 of the Children Act 2004. This guidance sets out local authority responsibility for making arrangements to ensure their normal functions are discharged having regard to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children in their area. This includes all types of local authority services, including those provided by district councils.
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total budget was in 2005-06 for agricultural support in England; and what the administrative costs were of distributing it. [86864]
Ian Pearson: The total budget for agricultural support in England in 2005-06 was £2,045,088,000. This was administered by the Rural Payments Agency, whose administrative costs were budgeted at £228.96 million for 2005-06.
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research his Department (a) has evaluated and (b) plans into the contribution to future climate change emissions made by air conditioning in domestic homes. [84070]
Ian Pearson: DEFRA's Market Transformation Programme (MTP) has undertaken some limited research to estimate the contribution of air-conditioning in domestic homes to future carbon emissions. I refer the hon. Member to the reply given him on 13 July 2006, Official Report, column 1979W.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the air quality in Brent; and if he will make a statement. [87723]
Mr.
Bradshaw: Local authorities have a duty, under Part IV of
the Environment Act 1995, to review and assess the current, and likely
future, air quality in their areas. Where local authorities consider
that one or more of the nationally prescribed air quality objectives
for each of the seven pollutants is unlikely to be met by the relevant
deadline, they must declare an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA),
covering the area where the problem is expected. These local
authorities must then take action, along with other agencies and
organisations, to work towards meeting the air quality objectives. The
Mayor has responsibility for ensuring the Local Air Quality Management
regime is undertaken appropriately by London
boroughs.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the (a) budget and (b) expenditure was for administration on each area-based initiative for which his Department and its predecessors have been responsible in each year since 1997. [87525]
Ian Pearson: The Department does not maintain a separate record of expenditure for administrating geographically targeted Government interventions, it is included in the overall administration costs. This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the definition of sound science is by which he will determine the Government's response to its consultations on methods to control bovine tuberculosis. [87112]
Mr. Bradshaw: I will base any decision on badger culling on a sound scientific and practical foundation. By “sound science” I mean the evidence from the available science base and the outcomes from the on-going TB research programme.
Natascha Engel: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when his Department will sign the long-term contract with British Waterways recommended in the quinquennial review in 2004. [87404]
Barry Gardiner: The 2004 Policy Review of British Waterways made a number of recommendations associated with increasing clarity of purpose, measurement of performance and long-term funding arrangements.
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions he has had on (a) agricultural tariffs and (b) the common agricultural policy with (i) the US Department of Agriculture and (ii) EU Commissioner Boel in relation to the Doha world trade talks. [86768]
Ian Pearson: My DEFRA ministerial colleagues and I, continue to meet regularly with Commissioner Fischer Boel and the European Commission’s directorate-general for Agriculture and Rural Development to discuss a range of issues including reform of the common agricultural policy and the current World Trade Organisation (WTO) negotiations which include agricultural tariffs.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he plans to take to ensure that the UK Government will reduce the UK’s carbon dioxide emissions by 20 per cent. by 2010. [87474]
Ian Pearson: The new UK climate change programme, published in March 2006, details policies and measures to cut UK emissions of carbondioxide and other/greenhouse gases. The UK’s climate change programme 2006 is available on the Defra website at:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/climatechange/uk/ukccp/pdf/ukccp06-all.pdf
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total carbon emissions of the UK were in 2005-06; and what assessment he has made of the relative performance of the UK on carbon emissions compared with other major industrial nations. [87572]
Ian Pearson: Estimates of UK greenhouse gas emissions for 2005 are not yet available. Summary statistics for 2005 will be published in January 2007 and a full national inventory report for the UN framework convention on climate change (UNFCCC) will be published in April 2007.
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the implications of climate change for rural areas; and what plans his Department has to help areas to respond to these implications. [88528]
Ian Pearson: DEFRA has recently received the final report of a study commissioned under the Cross-Regional Research Programme on climate change and its impacts on the Countryside and Rural Economy. The project also considered possible adaptation strategies that could be implemented to lessen the effects of unavoidable climate change. The report outlined the factors contributing to the vulnerability of rural areas, identified the key climate impacts likely to occur, and discussed potential adaptation strategies that could be implemented.
Mr. Wills: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of (a) the difference between UK and world prices for agricultural food products as a proxy for the cost to the UK consumer of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and (b) the notional UK contribution to CAP expenditure, broken down by (i) commodity and (ii) European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund spending sector. [83335]
Barry
Gardiner: We can estimate the UK consumer cost of the CAP
by comparing the difference between UK and world prices for
agricultural products and
applying that difference to the volume of UK consumption. Our latest
provisional estimate, for 2004, shows a cost of the CAP to UK consumers
of around £4
billion.
| CAP expenditure by commodity and pillar, 2004 | ||
| € million | Share (Percentage) | |
| Source: European Commission, (2005) 34th Financial Report on The
Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee
Fund. | ||
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what publicly-funded incentives exist for dairy farmers to set-up supplier co-operatives. [87167]
Tim Farron [holding answer 24 July 2006]: A number of dairy co-operatives already exist in Great Britain. The three largest supply around 40 per cent. of raw milk in the UK, process approximately 25 per cent. of the GB milk supply, and between them have over 8,000 farmer members.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research (a) has been completed and (b) is planned into the effect on the environment of (i) existing, (ii) extended and (iii) new developments for London and the South East in the period 2020 to 2050, with particular reference to (A) transport, (B) land use and (C) biodiversity; and if he will make a statement. [83763]
Mr. Bradshaw: Defra has not carried out any research in to the environmental impacts of development in London and the South East for the period 2020 to 2050, and none is currently planned.
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of food consumed in the UK was produced in the UK in each year since 1997. [88526]
Ian Pearson: The following table shows UK self sufficiency in food as a percentage of all food and indigenous food.
| UK self sufficiency in food as a percentage of: | ||
| all food | indigenous type food | |
Mrs. Riordan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if the Government will carry out an investigation into the use of electric shock collars as a training aid for dogs; and if he will use such research to assess the merits of banning their use. [87113]
Mr. Bradshaw: We recognise that future research into electric shock collars is a priority. The Department has recently circulated a new call for research, in the form of a Limited Tender Call, with the aim of taking forward any research on or after April 2007. The aim is to obtain independent scientific evidence so that a decision can be taken as to whether or not there is a need for regulation in this area.
Mr. Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what support for growers of (a) miscanthus and (b) other energy crops will be provided after 31 July 2006. [88224]
Ian Pearson: DEFRA is currently considering how best to support energy crops under the new Rural Development Programme (RDP), which will come into operation in 2007. The RDP is a national programme but is part funded by the EU, so it will need to comply with the provisions of the EU Rural Development Regulation (RDR). Therefore, DEFRA is also in discussions with the Commission on how support for Energy Crops can continue under the RDP in 2007 and beyond.
Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much energy his Department estimates would be saved if all homes that needed it were insulated. [81429]
Ian Pearson: We estimate that if all homes received all cost-effective insulation measures (such as loft and cavity wall insulation) where appropriate, the maximum energy savings would be around 240 peta joules (PJ). For comparison, current energy consumption from all UK housing is around 2,000 PJ, so the saving is around 12 per cent.
Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs why his Department has revised the energy savings calculations for (a) light bulbs and (b) insulation. [81430]
Ian Pearson: Revisions were made in the light of new information arising from monitoring and modelling projects. Full details were published under the energy efficiency commitment (EEC) section of the DEFRA website at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/energy/eec/pdf/measuremix.pdf in February 2005.
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will make an assessment of the rate of return to energy efficiency schemes supported by the Department including social benefits; and if he will make an assessment of the private rate of return and payback period for private individuals who benefit from such schemes. [81786]
Ian
Pearson: For the first phase of the Energy Efficiency
Commitment (EEC1), the estimated Internal Rate of Return (IRR) for the
scheme as a whole was around 30 per cent. excluding the Social Cost of
Carbon (SCC) and the value of air quality improvements. It was over 35
per cent. if these were
included. The returns for the current phase are expected to be slightly
lower, since the “quick wins” have now been acted
on.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total cost was of the warm front and energy efficiency schemes in each year since 2000; and how much was spent on (a) grants, (b) promotion and advertising and (c) administration in each year. [88891]
Ian Pearson: A full response to this question could be made only at disproportionate cost.
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) by what percentage the Environment Agency has been asked to reduce its spending from the original level allocated for 2006-07; [87628]
(3) whether the budget for flood defences is to be changed; and if he will make a statement. [88921]
Ian Pearson: As part of the Spending Review 04 settlement, the Environment Agency was given an increased indicative grant in aid budget for 2006-07 of £573 million. However, following the initial budget setting exercise for 2006-07 this figure was reduced by 0.77 per cent. This amounts to a £4.4 million reduction.
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what changes have been requested in the budget allocations for environmental budget lines in his Department. [89033]
Ian
Pearson: DEFRA is committed to living within its overall
budget for 2006-07 as voted by Parliament. At present there is a budget
review exercise under way which is examining expenditure across the
whole of
DEFRA. No final decisions have yet been taken and these are expected to
be made by early August. Meanwhile consultation is taking place between
the Department’s Environment Directorate General and its
delivery partners, including the Environment Agency, to evaluate the
budget review proposals and options.
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he plans to publish the responses to the consultation on proposals for transposition and implementation of Directive 2002/49/EC relating to the assessment and management of environmental noise. [88317]
Mr. Bradshaw: Copies of the responses will be made publicly available during the summer, through the Defra Information Resource Centre, Lower Ground Floor, Ergon House, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR. I also will arrange for a copy to be placed in the Library of the House.
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost to his Department was of implementing and administering EU directives, regulations and policies in 2005-06. [86757]
Ian Pearson: The information requested is not held centrally by the Department, but by the management units responsible for the policy areas concerned. Disaggregated costs could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether his Department issues (a) advice and (b) instructions to the Scottish Executive on the implementation of EU legislation in Scotland. [86513]
Barry Gardiner [holding answer 19 July 2006]: Implementation of EU legislation is a matter for the Scottish Executive, in those areas which are devolved, by the Scotland Act 1998. The Department offers advice on implementation, when asked to do so by the Executive.
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will make a statement on the trend in the level of farm incomes over the last five years. [87086]
Barry Gardiner: Farm incomes for England in the past five years are given in the table as follows.
| Net farm income by farm type ( 1) , England 2000-01 to 2004-05 | |||||
| 2000-01 | ( 2) 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | |
| (1)
Net farm income is defined as the return to the principal farmer and
spouse for their manual and managerial labour and on the tenant type
capital of the
business. (2) Excluding farms subjected to compulsory foot and mouth disease cull. Source: Farm Business Survey (FBS) | |||||
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average annual income was of (a) farms and (b) hill farms in (i) England and Wales, (ii) Cumbria, and (iii) Westmorland and Lonsdale in each year since 1997. [88527]
Ian Pearson: Farm incomes for England since 1997 are given in the table as follows. Grazing livestock (less favoured area) is equivalent to hill farms
| Net farm income( 1) by farm type, England 1997-08 to 2004-05 | ||||||||
| 1997-98 | 1998-99 | 1999-2000 | 2000-01 | ( 2) 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | |
| (1)
Net farm income is defined as the return to the principal farmer and
spouse for their manual and managerial labour and on the tenant type
capital of the
business. (2) Excluding farms subjected to compulsory foot and mouth disease cull. Source: Farm Business Survey (FBS) | ||||||||
| Net farm income by farm type, Cumbria 2002-03 to 2004-05 | |||
| 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | |
| (1)
Too few observations in the sample to give reliable estimates Welsh
data is a matter for the devolved
administration Source: Farm Business Survey (FBS) | |||
Welsh data is a matter for the devolved administration.
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of farms had not had their single farm payments validated on the latest date for which figures are available. [80703]
Ian Pearson [holding answer 27 June 2006]: As of 20 July 2006, 22,385 applications, representing 19.2 per cent. of the estimated total claimant population for the Single Payment Scheme 2005 had not been fully validated. Of that number some 14,640 claimants had received a partial payment.
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what additional costs have been incurred due to the delays in making the single farm payment; whether the additional funds will be met from the Department’s budget; and if he will make a statement. [86367]
Barry Gardiner: Additional costs, in the form of reduced EU funding, may arise in relation to payments under the 2005 Single Payment Scheme (SPS) which are made after the end of the regulatory payment window on 30 June 2006.
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 5 June 2006, Official Report, column 163W, on single farm payments, how much additional funding has been made available; which key rural organisations have received the funding; for what specific purposes it will be used; how much extra money has been made available to organisations which primarily support Cumbrian farmers; and if he will make a statement. [78445]
Ian Pearson [holding answer 19 June 2006]: The additional funding amounted to £115,000, which has been made available to the Rural Stress Information Network, Farm Crisis Network, Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution, ARC-Addington and The Samaritans in order to boost their capacity, e.g. in terms of staff and IT, to help farmers facing cash-flow problems. The Department does not hold figures on the regional breakdown of this expenditure
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many claims under the Single Payment Scheme were submitted by 15 June; what the value is; and what proportion this represents of claims for entitlements made in 2005. [86865]
Barry Gardiner: By close of business on 15 June 2006 110,176 applications for the Single Payment Scheme had been received by the Rural Payments Agency.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people were employed in (a) dairy farming, (b) beef farming, (c) sheep farming, (d) arable farming, (e) mixed farming and (f) other forms of farming in Cornwall in (i) 1980, (ii) 1990, (iii) 2000 and (iv) 2005. [87520]
Ian
Pearson: The number of full and part time employees
(including salaried managers and casual
workers) on holdings by farm type (based on predominant activity) in
Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly are as
follows:
| Farm type | 1990 | 2000 | 2005 |
| Farm type | 1990 | 2000 | 2005 |
| Notes: 1. Data for 1980 are not available 2. 1990 data are for
main holdings only, 2000 onwards contains main and minor holdings. A
minor holding needs to conform to all of the following: (a) the total
area is less than 6 hectares (b) there is no regular whole-time farmer
or worker (c) the estimated annual labour requirement is less than 100
days (of 8 hours productive work by an adult worker under average
conditions) (d) the glasshouse area is less than 100 square metres (e)
the occupier does not farm another building. 3. Changes in
farm type classifications mean figures for the cattle and sheep and
grazing livestock categories are not directly comparable across the
years. Source: June Agricultural
Survey | |||
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans he has to review flood defences in Robertsbridge, East Sussex; and if he will make a statement. [89122]
Ian
Pearson: Flood defences in Robertsbridge will be reviewed
within the River Rother and Romney Marsh
Catchment Flood Management Plan (CFMP). This plan will set policy and
inform future flood risk management investment in the Robertsbridge
area for the next 100 years. The CFMP is currently being produced and
will be completed by September
2007.
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the change in the number of homes at risk from flooding as a result of (a) new homes built in 2006 and (b) building developments already identified and underway; and if he will make a statement. [86452]
Ian Pearson: The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) leads on development planning policy. DCLG has publicly consulted on strengthening this policy in a new Planning Policy Statement (PPS) 25 which will help manage future flood risks in a sustainable way. DCLG is aiming to publish revised guidance and related changes to the planning system in autumn 2006. The Environment Agency is funded by DEFRA to advise planning authorities on development proposals to ensure flood risk is properly taken into account.
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) pursuant to the Answers of 6 July 2005, Official Report, columns 418-25W and 16 June 2005, Official Report, column 552W, on fly-tipping, if he will provide the information for the most recent year for which figures are available; [87416]
Mr. Bradshaw: Data from Flycapture, the national fly-tipping database, for 2005-06 are currently being analysed and will be published on 31 July 2006. A copy will be placed in the Library of the House.
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many fly-tipping incidents there were in (a) South East Cambridgeshire and (b) Cambridgeshire in each year since 2000, broken down by the nature of that waste. [88926]
Mr. Bradshaw: DEFRA has worked with the Environment Agency to establish Flycapture, the national fly-tipping database, which has been operational since April 2004. No national data were previously available on illegal waste disposal or fly-tipping.
| Cambridge | East Cambridgeshire | Fenland | ||||
| 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | |
| Huntingdonshire | South Cambridgeshire | Total | ||||
| 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | |
Mr. Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will (a) publish and (b) place in the Library the emerging research on the impacts of Genetic Use Restriction Technologies that was considered at the Convention on Biological Diversity in March. [88417]
Ian Pearson: All the documents considered by the eighth Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity are available on the website of the Convention at:
http://www.biodiv.org/doc/meeting. asp?lg=0&mtg=cop-08.
http://www.biodiv.org/doc/meeting.aspx?mtg=WG8J-04.
Mr. Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research the Government are (a) funding and (b) undertaking into the (i) ecological, (ii) economic, (iii) social and (iv) cultural impacts of Genetic Use Restriction Technologies. [88420]
Ian Pearson: On 22 June 2006, DEFRA published a review that considered possible methods for containing the spread of novel genes in Genetically Modified (GM) crop plants. This issue is of potential relevance to the risk assessment of new types of GM crop. The review is available on the DEFRA website at:
www2.defra.gov.uk/research/project_data/More.asp?l=CB02036&M=KWS& V=CB02036&SUBMIT1=Search&SCOPE=0.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with his Cabinet colleagues about the introduction of statutory regulations concerning animal welfare for the greyhound industry. [86536]
Mr. Bradshaw: The outline of our proposals for secondary legislation, including the regulation of greyhound welfare, has been considered at Cabinet level.
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what health risks are associated with the burial of dead greyhounds; and if he will make a statement. [87514]
Mr. Bradshaw: The landfilling of previously healthy dead greyhounds would not be expected to result in an increase in risks to health. Where greyhounds are buried (other than as private pets) the landfilling operation should be subject to regulation under a Pollution Prevention Control (PPC) permit, issued by the Environment Agency, which meets the environmental and health objectives of the Waste Framework Directive and the technical requirements of the Landfill Directive.
Mr. Fraser: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress has been made on the transfer of Sites of Special Scientific Interest Wildlife Enhancement Scheme agreements into the Higher Level Environmental Stewardship Scheme. [87073]
Barry Gardiner [holding answer 20 July 2006]: The Rural Development Service and English Nature are jointly managing a project to ensure the smooth transfer of sites from the Wildlife Enhancement Scheme into new management agreements with the aim of meeting the PSA target for 95 per cent. of SSSIs by area to be in ‘favourable or recovering condition’ by 2010. This has included identifying all sites where a transfer into the Higher Level of the Environmental Stewardship Scheme will be the appropriate land management agreement and setting a timetable for those transfers.
Mr. Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the Environment Agency has imposed additional emission controls on Ironbridge Power Station since it commenced generating electricity from co-incineration. [88671]
Ian Pearson: The Ironbridge Power Station is regulated under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, and an Integrated Pollution Control (IPC) authorisation has been issued by the Environment Agency to regulate emissions.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 6 July 2006, Official Report, column 1285W, on judicial review, where the information is held; and how (a) hon. Members and (b) members of the public may have access to that information. [85172]
Barry Gardiner: Since 1 January 2006 the litigation team in DEFRA has maintained a database on which details of all judicial reviews against DEFRA are recorded. Prior to that date no central record was kept of the number or of the outcome of judicial reviews and therefore the information requested could only be obtained by recalling and examining all litigation files from the file store. If an hon. Member or member of the public wishes to pursue the outcome of any particular judicial review then a request can be made under the Freedom of Information Act and will be dealt with accordingly.
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much waste has been sent to landfill in the last 10 years. [86466]
Mr. Bradshaw: From 1997 to 2005, we landfilled an estimated total of 100.8 million tonnes of biodegradable municipal waste. From 2001-02, which is the first year for which we have reliable figures, to 2004-05, we reduced the amount of that waste sent to landfill from 15.7 million tonnes to 13.9 million tonnes, thanks to the considerable efforts of the Government, local authorities and the public to recycle more waste.
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he is taking to limit the amount of waste that goes to landfill. [88903]
Mr. Bradshaw: Action to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill is driven by regional and local strategies and supported by nationally funded programmes.
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the effects of static gear fisheries, sea angling and diving on the local economy of communities around Lyme Bay; and if he will make a statement. [86058]
Mr. Bradshaw: Such an assessment has not yet been made. The South West Inshore Scallopers Association is commissioning a report from the Marine Institute at the University of Plymouth on “Options for the Spatial Management of Scallop Dredging Impacts on Hard Substrates in Lyme Bay”. Part of the study will address these important issues.
Dr. Desmond Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment the Environment Agency has made of the effect of its proposed increases in charges to boaters on their use of its navigations. [87030]
Barry Gardiner: Navigation supports Government objectives for health, recreation and social inclusion and plays an important role in flood relief. However, for waterways to remain sustainable in the future, boaters need to pay a fair and reasonable rate. The Environment Agency is currently in discussion with industry over what that rate might be.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many noise abatement notices were served in each London borough in each year since 1997. [87276]
Mr. Bradshaw: We do not hold the information requested. Data held relating to noise abatement notices are compiled from voluntary returns from local authorities to the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH). They are recorded by year, but not location.
http://www.cieh.org/library/Knowledge/Environmental_protection/CIEH_annual_noise_complaint_statistics.pdf.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many noise-related complaints have been lodged in each London borough in each of the last five years; and how many of these resulted in further action. [87304]
Mr. Bradshaw: We do not hold the information requested. Data held relating to noise-related complaints are compiled from voluntary returns from local authorities to the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH). They are recorded by year, but not location.
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department takes to ensure the safe disposal of nuclear waste. [88335]
Ian
Pearson: The UK Government and devolved Administrations
are committed to finding a solution to the problem of nuclear waste.
Most radioactive waste is currently stored safely on major sites under
licence from the Health and Safety Executive's Nuclear Installations
Inspectorate, and is subject to strict
regulatory control. The environment agencies of the respective
Administrations regulate any disposal of waste from nuclear
sites.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans he has to elaborate on his one planet farming concept; and how this concept will inform his attempts to renegotiate the Common Agricultural Policy. [87224]
Ian Pearson: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for DEFRA, made clear in his speech at the Royal Show on 3 July that he wants to encourage a wide ranging debate about the vital role which farming plays in this country and the contribution it can make to one planet living. Working in partnership with key stakeholders, we expect thinking on this issue to develop in the coming months.
http://www.defra.gov.uk/farm/policy/sustain/pdf/sffs-fwd-060718.pdf
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many certification bodies are approved by his Department to inspect organic production and processing in the UK; and what checks are being made by his Department on these bodies to ensure that organic producers are complying with relevant UK and EU regulations. [88603]
Ian Pearson: There are 10 Certification Bodies approved to inspect organic production and processing in the UK.
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department takes to encourage local authorities to deal with pollution on beaches. [88334]
Ian Pearson: Under section 89 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse, local authorities must keep amenity beaches for which they are responsible generally clear of all types of litter and refuse between 1 May and 30 September inclusive. This duty extends to the place at which the tide flows at mean high water springs.
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what services (a) his Department and (b) its associated public bodies (i) make available and (ii) have made available in the last five years through the Post Office network; through how many outlets the service is or was made available; and how many relevant transactions were undertaken in each case in the most recent year for which figures are available. [79200]
Barry Gardiner: From information held centrally, the core Department has no contracts with the Post Office.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average (a) farm gate and (b) retail price was of (i) one kilogram of (A) ham, (B) tomatoes, (C) strawberries, (D) apples, (E) grapes, (F) cheese, (G) chicken, (H) potatoes, (I) carrots, (J) lettuce, (K) spring onions and (L) beetroot, (ii) one pint of (A) milk, (B) cream and (C) yoghurt, (iii) one dozen eggs and (iv) one litre of English wine in each year since 1997, broken down by (1) organic and (2) conventionally produced foodstuffs. [87437]
Ian Pearson [holding answer 24 July 2006]: Soil Association guide prices for organic produce in 2005 are shown in table 1. The prices are taken from a range of direct, wholesale and contracted markets. Farm-gate and retail prices are shown in tables 2 and 3. It is not possible to separately identify organically and conventionally produced foodstuffs.
| Table 1: Guide prices for organic produce in 2005 | ||
| Produce | ||
| n/a
= Not available (1 )In pence (p) (2 )In pounds (£) (3 )Estimated farm-gate price Source: Soil Association “Organic Market Report 2006” | ||
| Table 2: Farm-gate prices | ||||||||||
| Produce | Pence (p) | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 |
| n/a
= Not available (1 )Round, vine, plum and cherry (2 )Prior to 2003 Source: DEFRA | ||||||||||
| Table 3: Retail prices | ||||||||||
| Produce | Pence (p) | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 |
| n/a
= Not available (1 )Average for 1 litre of shop bought and 1 litre of delivered milk Source: Office for National Statistics—average retail prices | ||||||||||
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many public appointments are within his patronage; what (a) salary and (b) other emoluments are attached to each; and what the comparable figures were in (i) 1976, (ii) 1986 and (iii) 1996. [83182]
Barry Gardiner: The number of Ministerial appointees on each of Defra’s NDPBs and public corporations and the remuneration and other emoluments they receive (as at 31 March 2006) are as follows.
| Body | Type of appointee | Remuneration (£) | Other emoluments (£) |
Animal Health and Welfare Strategy England Implementation Group | |||
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which 20 local councils recycled the greatest quantity of one or more recyclable materials in 2005-06. [88904]
Mr. Bradshaw: Data on local authority recycling and composting performances in 2005-06 are not currently available. Figures will be published when we have completed the validation and auditing procedures. Best value performance indicator data for 2004-05 are available from the Defra website at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/waste/localauth/perf_mgmt.htm.
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people in (a) England, (b) Middlesbrough and (c) the borough of Redcar and Cleveland have been (i) issued with a fixed penalty notice under section 47ZA and (ii) prosecuted under section 46 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 for failing to meet their local authority's recycling requirements. [87965]
Mr. Bradshaw: Section 47ZA of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (EPA), as inserted by section 48 of the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005, allows authorised officers to issue a £100 fixed penalty notice (FPN) to any householder not complying with a notice issued under section 46-47 of the EPA.
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the overruns in the budget allocation for farming, food and rural affairs in 2006-07 following the problems at the Rural Payments Agency. [88917]
Ian Pearson: DEFRA is committed to living within its overall budget for 2006-07 as voted by Parliament. As a fundamental action in managing the annual budget the Department periodically reviews its internal allocations to ensure that priorities and pressures receive adequate budgetary cover.
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the Secretary of State has suggested to the Treasury that overruns resulting from problems at the Rural Payments Agency should be met from the Government’s overall contingency reserve. [88919]
Ian Pearson: DEFRA is committed to staying within its budget for 2006-07. It is not anticipated that we need to approach HM Treasury for help with our ability to manage the annual budget.
Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many security passes have been reported (a) lost and (b) stolen by staff in his Department in each year since February 2004. [88556]
Ian Pearson: The following table shows passes lost and stolen from core DEFRA and its agencies since 2004. Figures for 2006 are from 1 January to date.
| Lost | Stolen | |
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what targets he has set for the number of authorised ship-breaking facilities to be established in the UK; and if he will make a statement. [88624]
Ian Pearson: On 30 March, Defra launched a consultation to enable interested individuals and organisations to provide views on the Government’s draft UK Ship Recycling Strategy. The deadline for responses was 22 June.
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what assessment he has made of the major causes of smog in London; and what plans the Government have to reduce them; [88177]
Mr. Bradshaw: Hot, sunny weather, together with contributions from continental Europe carrying the substances which form ground-level ozone, can produce summer smog in London. Ground-level ozone is formed when sunlight acts on nitrogen dioxide and other atmospheric substances close to the ground. The pollutants that cause ground-level ozone come from a range of sources, including petrol and other fuels.
| Parameter | Target value for 2010 | |
120 micrograms per metre cubed not to be exceeded more than 25 days three years | ||
18,000 micrograms per metre cubed hours averaged over five years |
| Parameter | Long-term objective | |
6,000 micrograms per metre cubed hours averaged over five years | ||
| (1)
AOT40 = the sum of the difference between hourly concentrations greater
than 80 micrograms per metre cubed and 80 micrograms per metre cubed
over a given period using only the one hour values measured between
08:00 and
20:00. | ||
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on what occasions a statutory instrument sponsored by his Department has been reported by the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments as defective since October 2005. [85186]
Barry Gardiner: Since the beginning of October 2005, 14 DEFRA statutory instruments have been reported for defective drafting by the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the impact on farmers of the Supermarket Code of Practice. [87515]
Ian Pearson: The Supermarket Code of Practice concerns supermarkets’ trading relationships with their immediate suppliers, relatively few of whom are farmers. Responsibility for the code rests with the Office of Fair Trading (OFT).
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions on the Supermarket Code of Practice he has had with (a) the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, (b) farming organisations, (c) supermarkets, (d) retailer representatives and (e) other relevant bodies. [87516]
Ian Pearson: Responsibility for the supermarket Code of Practice rests with the Office of Fair Trading (OFT).
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations he has received on viral haemorrhagic scepticaemia in trout farms in North Yorkshire. [86079]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Department has received a wide range of representations on viral haemorrhagic scepticaemia in trout farms in North Yorkshire, from hon. Members and the industry. The representations have taken the form of letters, emails and parliamentary questions. We continue to work closely with interested parties on this issue. I have visited part of the affected area to hear the concerns of Fish farmers at first hand.
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many (a) private citizens and (b) businesses in (i) England and (ii) each region have been prosecuted for causing pollution from (A) septic tanks and (B) heating oil tanks in each of the last three years; and what the total amount paid out in fines in each category was in each year. [88150]
Mr. Bradshaw: Based on information from the Environment Agency’s National Enforcement Database, there has been one prosecution for causing pollution from septic tanks and four prosecutions for causing pollution from heating oil in the last three years. Details are set out in the following table:
| Date | Region | Individual/company | Fine (£) |
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total volume of (a) domestic, (b) commercial and (c) other waste was in the Peterborough city council area in each year since 1997; what this represents per head of population; and what proportion was (i) sent to landfill, (ii) incinerated and (iii) disposed of by other means in each case. [88196]
Mr. Bradshaw: The amount of municipal waste, collected by Peterborough city council in each year since 1998, is shown in the following table. No figures are available for 1997-98, as the council did not complete a return for the Municipal Waste Management Survey in this year.
| Total municipal waste (tonnes) | Arisings per head (tonnes) | Percentage landfill | Percentage recycled, composted | |
| Source: Defra Municipal Waste Management Survey, 1998-99 to 2003-04.
2004-05 figures are provisional estimates from
WasteDataFlow | ||||
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the water quality of the (a) River Brent and (b) Welsh Harp reservoir in Brent. [87785]
Ian Pearson: Water quality data for River Brent is available on the DEFRA website at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/statistics/index.htm. Recent figures for 2005 are scheduled for publication in August.
| 2002-04 | ||
| Percentage | ||
| Total assessed River Brent length which is of: | Biological quality | Chemical quality |
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what methods are being used by the International Whaling Commission to monitor the behaviour of the Western Pacific Gray Whale; and whether changes in the whales’ behaviour have been documented. [87579]
Mr. Bradshaw: A report on the Western North Pacific Gray Whales was presented during this year’s annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) and at a seismic pre-meeting of the IWC Scientific Committee.
Roger Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many disabled staff in his Department received support through the Access to Work scheme (a) in each of the last five years and (b) in 2006-07. [82232]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department does not keep central records of disabled staff receiving adaptations, equipment or other support through the Access to Work scheme. Details could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what his Department has done to ensure that people who put down animals without a licence dispose of the dead animals appropriately; and if he will make a statement. [87511]
Mr. Bradshaw: I have been asked to reply.
Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects the Government will submit its final UK Assisted Areas map to the European Commission following the closure of the consultation on 7 August. [87357]
Margaret Hodge [holding answer 24 July 2006]: The European Commission require two months to consider our proposed map and we will need to ensure that there is sufficient time for the new Assisted Areas map to be considered by Parliament through the secondary legislation proceeding. Stage two of the consultation on the draft Assisted Areas map will close on 7 August. The Government will then consider all responses received. The Government are working to ensure a new map is in place when the present map expires on 31 December 2006.
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people declared themselves bankrupt in (a) South East Cambridgeshire constituency, (b) Cambridgeshire and (c) the Eastern Region in each of the last five years. [88736]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Regional insolvency statistics are only available on the basis of the locations of Official Receivers offices, each of which cover a group of county courts where the cases are heard and the courts having jurisdiction over these. It is not possible to provide bankruptcy statistics by constituency, county or Government Office Region. The following table provides the bankruptcy order statistics considered to be closest to those of interest, but they should not be treated as reliable estimates for the administrative geographies requested.
| Cambridge County Court | Cambridge OR's Office( 1) | Anglia Region (OR-based) | |
| (1)
Cambridge OR's Office covers the following county courts: Cambridge,
Hertford, Huntingdon and
Peterborough | |||
Mr. Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of how many (a) people and (b) households in (i) England, (ii) Sunderland City Council area and (iii) Houghton and Washington East constituency are unable to gain access to broadband in their homes. [87223]
Margaret Hodge: Government do not hold this information but BT has supplied the following:
(1)
Openreach—is a new multi-billion pound business that is
responsible for ensuring all telecoms service providers have
transparent and equal access to the local BT network, i.e. equivalence.
Openreach's activities are overseen by an "equality of access board",
which has a supervisory role. It reports to Ofcom and BT's main
board.
Mr. Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the number of telephone exchanges that are still not (a) unbundled with respect to the local loop and (b) enabled for broadband in (i) England, (ii) Sunderland City Council area and (iii) Houghton and Washington East constituency. [87230]
Margaret Hodge: Government do not hold this information but BT have supplied the following:
Mr. Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures he is taking to ensure individual plc directors are aware of their obligations to their shareholders in respect of business continuity planning; and if he will make a statement. [87905]
Mr. McCartney: Company directors, including plc directors, have no specific statutory obligations in relation to business continuity planning. They do owe general duties to the company, such as the duty to exercise reasonable care, skill and diligence.
Mr. Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures he is taking to reduce the number of business failures that occur as a result of a major physical disaster; and if he will make a statement. [87903]
Margaret Hodge: All employers should recognise the risk of business failure resulting from a major physical disaster and a wide range of other potentially disruptive incidents such as terrorist activity, pandemic flu and industrial action. The Government are, therefore, working closely with the business community to encourage and support robust, flexible business continuity planning.
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what multilateral agreements have been reached with other EU member states to simplify the regulations for capital maintenance to allow public limited liability companies to make faster and simpler changes in their capital structure. [88578]
Mr.
McCartney: Amendments to the Second Company Law Directive
(77/9I/EEC) were proposed by the European Commission in October 2004.
The
Second Company Law Directive co-ordinates national provisions on the
formation of public limited liability companies, minimum share capital
requirements, distributions to shareholders and increases and
reductions in
capital.
http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/company/capital/index_en.htm
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 16 June 2006, Official Report, column 1485W, on compensation, if he will make client files available to miners who have been refused access by their representatives. [89027]
Malcolm Wicks: The Department would make files available to miners on receipt of a court order requiring it.
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will arrange for a Minister in his Department to reply to the letter of 2 May from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr. Muhammad Islam. [79416]
Mr. Darling: I responded to my right hon. Friend on 22 June.
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 12 June 2006, Official Report, column 881W, on sickness absence, how many staff in his Department have had more than two periods of sickness of less than five days in two or more of the years for which he has provided figures. [84047]
Jim
Fitzpatrick: The DTI's records show:
| More than two periods (spells) of absence of less than five days for staff in DTI HQ, including SBS and UKTI | |
| Number | |
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) pursuant to EU directive 2002/96/EC, Article 4, what measures have been taken to encourage the design and production of electrical and electronic equipment which take into account and facilitate dismantling and recovery with particular reference to the reuse and recycling of waste electrical and electronic equipment, their components and materials; [88582]
Malcolm Wicks: I will be making an announcement in the very near future regarding proposals for implementing EU Directive 2002/96/EC—the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive.
Mr. Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on energy losses arising through the transmission and distribution of electricity in the UK. [87564]
Mr. Darling: Approximately 2 per cent. of electricity conveyed over the transmission network is lost and a further 6 per cent. over the distribution network. Electricity is lost through a combination of heat, noise and theft. Network businesses are incentivised to reduce these losses.
Mr. Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent assessment he has made of the efficiency of the electricity transmission grid. [87611]
Mr. Darling [holding answer 24 July 2006]: Statistics from National Grid show that transmission (high voltage) network reliability has improved from 99.9989 per cent. between 1995-2000 to 99.9992 percent from 2000-05. On average, electricity transmission companies have reduced their controllable costs by around 50 per cent. since privatisation.
Paul
Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for
Trade and Industry pursuant to page 179 of annex A of the Energy
Review, Cm 6887, what estimate he has made of
the cost of the treatment of the reprocessed uranium and enrichment
tails in preparation for recycling in fresh fuel; and whether he has
asked the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority to provide him with an
analysis of the economic feasibility of treating reprocessed uranium
and enrichment tails.
[86952]
Malcolm Wicks: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has not made an estimate of the cost of the treatment of the reprocessed uranium and enrichment tails in preparation for recycling in fresh nuclear fuel. The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) published its strategy on 30 March 2006. The strategy noted that the NDA is examining the disposition of options for a number of nuclear materials and will be preparing advice to the Department in due course. This advice will include a full lifecycle macro-economic analysis of the potential re-use or disposal options for reprocessed uranium and enrichment tails.
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 18 July 2006, Official Report, column 286, on the Energy Review, what the (a) length and (b) value was of the contract agreed with AEA Technology Environment. [88681]
Malcolm Wicks: AEA Technology Environment was appointed in March 2006 and completed their work in June 2006.
Contract payments are commercially confidential.
Mr. Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he expects the implementation of the Cross Border Mergers Directive of 2005 will be achieved by December 2007. [88851]
Mr. McCartney: It is intended to publicly consult on implementing options in respect of the Cross Border Mergers Directive (2005/56/EC) in due course. In accordance with the requirements of the directive, it is expected that the necessary implementing provisions will be in place by the directive's deadline of 15 December 2007.
Mr. Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what stage implementation of the 8th Company Law Directive has reached. [88852]
Mr. McCartney: The 8th Company Law Directive (2006/43/EC) on the statutory audit of annual and consolidated accounts came into force on 29 June 2006. The directive provides for a two year implementation period. The Companies Bill, currently before Parliament, is implementing some of the directive's requirements (for example, defining “statutory audit”; making provisions for auditors of foreign companies listed on the UK's regulated market) for which primary legislation is required.
Mr. Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made on multilateral agreements with other EU member states on helping facilitate the exercise of basic shareholders' rights and the cross-border exercise of such rights. [88854]
Mr. McCartney: A new proposal for a directive on the exercise of voting rights by shareholders in the EU was published on 5 January this year. It included amendments to the transparency directive (2004/109/EC).
The proposal is under discussion by the European Parliament and Council.
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much was spent on foreign travel by (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department in 2005-06. [67451]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department of Trade and Industry has recorded expenditure of £3,264,443 on foreign travel in 2005-06. This figure covers travel by DTI and UKTI ministers and officials. All travel by Ministers and officials is undertaken in line with the Ministerial and Civil Service Codes of Conduct.
| Expenditure (£000,000) | |
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions (a) he, (b) other Ministers in his Department and (c) officials have had with the operators of steel production plants on the installation of extraction technologies to remove emissions of greenhouse gases; and what assessment his Department has made of the impact on the competitiveness of the UK steel industry of the installation of such technology. [88154]
Malcolm
Wicks: Government have been involved in many discussions
at both ministerial and official level on a range of issues related to
the UK steel industry's response to climate change. These have
encompassed a range of possible responses by the steel industry to the
Government's policies aimed at lowering carbon emissions. The essence
of the Government's approach is to use market instruments to provide
incentives to firms to reduce carbon emissions. Government policy is
not prescriptive in terms of which carbon abating technologies firms
should use. Nevertheless, discussions have on occasion made reference
to best available technologies for controlling the emission
of
greenhouse gases, and have been informed by much research on the ability
of the steel industry to abate emissions while still remaining
competitive.
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to his answer of 16 June 2006, Official Report, column 1446W, on hydro-electricity, if his Department will commission a study to determine the potential energy generation from the River Severn (a) from incorporating hydro-electric generating equipment at the five existing weirs between Stourport and Gloucester and (b) from building five variable height weirs with hydro-electric generating equipment between Bridgnorth and Stourport. [85738]
Malcolm Wicks [holding answer 14 July 2006]: Tidal impoundment schemes—such as barrages and lagoons—and tidal current technologies have the potential to make a significant contribution to carbon reductions. In common with other power generation projects they could bring with then a number of external benefits, but generally are not competitive with other forms of low carbon generation. During the course of the recent Energy Review consultation we received a range of views on tidal generation, in particular on the plans for a Severn Barrage, which could provide around 5 per cent. of current UK electricity demand by 2020. This could cost in the region of £14 billion. It is clear that while attractive in terms of energy generation and associated benefits, plans for a Severn Barrage would raise strong environmental concerns in view of the designations that apply to the Severn Estuary.
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the total cost was of overnight accommodation for Ministers of State in his Department on foreign visits in each of the last three years. [68999]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Expenditure on overnight accommodation for Ministers in the Department of Trade and Industry for financial years 2004-05 and 2005-06 is shown in the table. The year 2005-06 includes travel costs for the six-month period when the UK held the Presidency of the EU. Details of expenditure prior to 2004 is not available at this level of detail.
| Expenditure on overnight accommodation by Ministers Office | |
| Financial year | £ |
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what multilateral agreements have been reached with other EU member states on corporate governance in relation to the collective responsibility of board members for financial statements and key non-financial information. [88579]
Mr. McCartney: Amendments to the Fourth Company Law Directive (78/660/EEC) on the annual accounts of certain types of company and the Seventh Company Law Directive (83/349/EEC) on consolidated accounts were adopted on 14 June 2006 by the European Parliament and Council.
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what multilateral agreements have been reached with other EU member states on new disclosure requirements regarding off-balance sheet arrangements and related party transactions. [88580]
Mr. McCartney: Amendments to the Fourth Company Law Directive (78/660/EEC) on the annual accounts of certain types of company and the Seventh Company Law Directive (83/349/EEC) on consolidated accounts were adopted on 14 June 2006 by the European Parliament and Council.
a. Off-balance sheet transactions - companies will be required to disclose the nature and business purpose of certain company arrangements that are not included in the balance sheet and the financial impact of those arrangements; and
b. Related party transactions—information about certain transactions which have been entered into by the company with related parties must be disclosed.
Mr. Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions he has had with (a) British Energy, (b) BNFL, (c) the NDA and (d) NIREX regarding the creating of a National Nuclear Laboratory. [87612]
Mr. Darling [holding answer 24 July 2006]: In assessing the need for a National Nuclear Laboratory, my officials have had discussions with a broad range of purchasers and providers of nuclear Research and Development.
Mr. Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he made of the extent to which there was a potential conflict of interest when a director of the Environment Agency was appointed to the Board of the Nuclear Decommissioning Agency; and if he will make a statement. [87383]
Malcolm Wicks: I refer to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member for Lewes (Norman Baker) on 17 July 2006, Official Report, column 135W.
Mr. Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on plans to merge the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority with Nirex. [87563]
Ian Pearson: I have been asked to reply.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many parliamentary questions tabled to his Department were awaiting a reply on 10 July 2006; which of those had been waiting longer than (a) two and (b) three weeks for a reply; and what the reason for the delay was in each case. [85196]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Current date shows that the department has 25 questions remaining unanswered as of 10 July 2006. Four are unanswered between two and three weeks of tabling and 21 unanswered in over three weeks.
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many petrol stations there were in (a) England and Wales, (b) Cumbria, (c) Westmorland and Lonsdale, (d) urban areas and (e) rural areas in each year since 1997. [88642]
Malcolm Wicks: The number of petrol station in England and Wales and in Cumbria is as follows:
| Year end | England and Wales | Cumbria |
Mr. Howard: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish the correspondence between his Department and English Nature in respect of the application for permission for a wind farm at Little Cheyne Court, Romney Marsh. [87426]
Malcolm Wicks [holding answer 24 July 2006]: No. The correspondence between the Department and English Nature during the consideration of the application was placed on the planning register and is therefore already in the public domain.
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what consultation was undertaken with (a) Postwatch and (b) Postwatch East prior to the recent decision of his Department not to renew the Post Office Card Account contract. [45463]
Mr. Plaskitt: I have been asked to reply.
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received regarding the awarding of Post Office franchises to WH Smith stores; and what discussions he has had with the Post Office on this matter. [88677]
Jim Fitzpatrick: We have received representations from the hon. Member for Swansea, East (Mrs. James).
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) which companies bid for the Post Office franchises in addition to WH Smith; [88678]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Decisions on individual Post Office branches are operational matters for which the management of Post Office Ltd. (POL) have direct responsibility. I have, therefore, asked Alan Cook, Managing Director of POL, to reply direct to the hon. Member on the issues he has raised concerning the franchising of services.
Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many public payphones have been removed in (a) rural and (b) non-rural areas in each year since 1997; what steps the Government have taken to improve access to public payphones in rural areas; and if he will make a statement. [86076]
Margaret Hodge: The matter raised is the responsibility of the Regulator, the Office of Communications (Ofcom) which is accountable to Parliament rather than Ministers. Accordingly, I have asked the Chief Executive of Ofcom to reply directly to the hon. Member. Copies of the Chief Executive’s letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Lynne
Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for
Trade and Industry what publicly (a) funded and (b)
administered support schemes for renewable energy research, development
and generation have been
available since 1995; and how much was allocated to each programme in
each year.
[85233]
Malcolm Wicks: It has not been possible to collate all public expenditure and other Government support since 1995 for energy technologies in the time available at proportionate cost.
http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_roads/documents/page/dft_roads_506885.hcsp
The following tables show the Governments direct spend per technology for 1995 to 2005.
| DTI New and Renewable Energy Programme—External Spend for each technology area by financial year from 1990-91 | ||||||
| Spend (rounded to nearest thousand) | ||||||
| Programme Area | 1994-95 | 1995-96 | 1996-97 | 1997-98 | 1998-99 | 1999-2000 |
| Programme Area | 2000-01 | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 |
| (1)
A combined spend for the two
areas. | |||||
| DTI Capital Grant Programmes | |||
| 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | |
| DEFRA CHP Programme | |
| £ | |
| Note: Several indirect measures of state support for CHP were introduced in 2001-02. Of those that can be enumerated, climate change levy exemption on fuel inputs to Good Quality CHP | |
| Research Councils Energy R&D Expenditure | ||||||||
| £000 | ||||||||
| 1997-98 | 1998-99 | 1999-2000 | 2000-01 | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | |
Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the Government plan to consult on its proposals for the rural post office network; and if he will make a statement. [88626]
Jim Fitzpatrick: We are at present carefully considering options for the network beyond 2008, though we are not working to a fixed timetable. There has already been extensive informal consultation with key stakeholders and we expect to consult more widely in due course.
Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the Government expect to decide whether to extend the Social Network Payment to support rural post offices beyond 2008. [88627]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Government are committed to supporting the rural post office network with annual Social Network Payments of £150 million for the next two years. We are at present carefully considering options for the network beyond 2008 and will take decisions only after proper consideration of all the issues.
Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many security passes have been reported (a) lost and (b) stolen by staff in his Department in each year since February 2004. [88558]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The number of DTI identity passes which have been lost or stolen on a year-by-year basis, March to April, since February 2004 are as follows:
| Passes lost/stolen | |
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the expected timetable is for the proposed study into a Severn Barrage for the production of tidal power. [85562]
Malcolm Wicks: During the course of the energy review consultation we have received a range of views on tidal generation, in particular on the plans for a Severn Barrage, which could provide around 5 per cent. of current UK electricity demand by 2002. This could cost in the region of £14 billion. It is clear that, while attractive in terms of energy generation and associated benefits, plans for a Severn Barrage would raise strong environmental concerns in view of the designations that apply to the Severn Estuary.
Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to his answer of 18 July 2006, Official Report, column 301W, on Sir Alistair Graham, how many days work per week were expected of Sir Alistair Graham as Chairman of the Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of the Telephone Information Services. [88611]
Margaret Hodge: Sir Alistair Graham is contracted to ICSTIS for an average of two days per week.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on what occasions a statutory instrument sponsored by his Department has been reported by the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments as defective since October 2005. [85178]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department of Trade and Industry has had five Statutory Instruments reported for defective drafting by JCSI since October 2005. They are as follows:
Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006
S.I. 2006/246)—Twenty-second report of JCSI: Published 28 March.
Ceramic Articles in Contact with Food (England) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/1179)—Twenty-eighth report of JCSI: Published 13 June.
Measuring Instruments (Automatic Catchweighers) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/1257)—Thirtieth Report of JCSI: Published 27 June.
Measuring Instruments (Cold-water Meters) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/1268)—Thirty-First Report of JCSI: Published 4 July.
Measuring Instruments (Non-Prescribed Instruments) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/1270)—Thirty-First Report of JCSI: Published 4 July.
In each case the Department responded with a Memorandum.
Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what research his Department has commissioned to fill the data gap identified by Strategic Environmental Assessment 6. [88866]
Malcolm Wicks: For the purpose of this answer I assume that the data gap referred to is on the impact of underwater noise on marine mammals.
“While the SEA process can result in the recommendation and promotion of work on marine mammals and underwater noise, the scope and design of such studies is seen as a collaborative exercise involving a range of stakeholders.”
SEA 6 post consultation report is available on the following website:
http://www.offshore-sea.org.uk/consultations/SEA_6/SEA_6_Post_Consultation_Report_Rev1.pdf
Mr. Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many meetings he has had with each of the members of the Sustainable Energy Policy Advisory Board in each of the last five years. [87560]
Mr. Darling: The Sustainable Energy Policy Advisory Board (SEPAB) was established in December 2003. Ministers in this department and other government departments have met members of SEPAB a number of times since 2003.
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps his Department is taking to support the (a) timber and (b) coal mining industries in the UK. [88600]
Margaret Hodge: The information requested is as follows:
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which countries are participating in the training of (a) the Afghan National Army and (b) the Afghan police force; and what responsibilities each has been tasked to undertake. [84154]
Des Browne: As outlined in the 2001 Bonn Agreement, and reaffirmed under the recent Afghanistan Compact, the United States and Germany are the lead partner nations for the development of the Afghan National Army and Afghan national police respectively.
Anne Moffat: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contribution the armed forces are making to supporting peace and security in Africa. [87210]
Mr. Ingram: UK armed forces personnel are playing an important role in helping build African peace support capacity and teaching the principles of good governance and the democratic accountability of armed forces. British military personnel are providing training and technical assistance to the African Union, to African regional organisations and peace support centres, and bilaterally to key partner countries, in order to help build long-term conflict prevention and peacekeeping capacity. For example, in Sierra Leone, we are helping rebuild the armed forces to ensure future stability, while in Sudan we are directly supporting the African Union Mission in Darfur and providing pre-deployment training of African peacekeeping troops being sent there. UK personnel are also supporting UN missions in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Mr.
Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for
Defence pursuant to the Answer of 12 July 2006,
Official Report, column 1878W, on the Defence Analytical Services
Agency (DASA), for what reasons TPS 6 remains unavailable on the DASA
website.
[86491]
Mr. Watson: TSP6 has been published on the DASA website since publication was resumed on 12 September 2005 with the production of statistics relating to 1 April 2005. The latest edition, relating to 1 April 2006 was published on 15 June 2006 and can be found at the following URL: http://www.dasa.mod.uk/natstats/tsp6/tsp6_apr06.pdf and copies are available in the Library of the House. There are two links to this document on the front page of the DASA website: one in the Publications section and the other in the What's new section. Links to earlier editions are listed at the following URL: http//www.dasa.mod.uk/publications/pubsindex.html. TSP6 is not listed with DASA's National Statistics publications because TSP6's National Statistics status is suspended as a result of doubts over the continuity and timeliness of the supply of information from the relevant data sources.
Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his Answer of 17 July 2006, Official Report, column 210W, on the defence food supply contract, what percentage of the meat supplied to British troops under the contract is from British farms. [88610]
Mr. Ingram: During the last financial year, under the current food supply contract, 42 per cent. of the beef, 100 per cent. of the pork and 5 per cent. of the lamb supplied to the UK based armed forces was of British origin.
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estate sales his Department has made in each year since 1997; what the value of these sales was in each year; what the current value of the departmental estate is; and what sites he plans to sell. [86995]
| £ million | |
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to Releasing the resources to meet the challenge ahead, Cm 6889, what reviews he has made of his Department’s work force remuneration strategy. [86915]
Des Browne: The Ministry of Defence has concluded a thorough review of its civilian remuneration strategy which has formed the basis of its negotiating remit for the 2006 pay deal, on which discussions continue with HMT. The MOD also produces an annual civilian work force plan which identifies work force issues relevant to business delivery.
A strategic review of remuneration for the armed forces is currently being conducted.
Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the effectiveness of the computer system responsible for paying the salaries of members of the British armed forces. [87004]
Mr. Watson [holding answer 20 July 2006]: I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave on 3 July 2006, Official Report, column 711W and 14 July 2006, Official Report, column 2120W, respectively to the hon. Member for Forest of Dean (Mr. Harper). I am now also able to update the figures for overpayments and underpayments in the June Pay run provided in my answer of 14 July. These are as follows: 485 incorrect payments of which: 227 (47 per cent.) overpayments, 258 (53 per cent.) underpayments.
Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which (a) medium and (b) heavy lift helicopters are able to deploy to Afghanistan with immediate effect. [85794]
Des Browne [holding answer 17 July 2006]: I refer the right hon. Member to the written ministerial statement I made on 24 July 2006, Official Report, columns 74-76WS. The helicopter support deployed to Afghanistan meets the operational commander’s current requirements.
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what publicly advertised (a) financial and (b) other inducements are funded by the Government to residents of Iraq to encourage the supply of information on the operation of insurgents to (i) the armed forces and (ii) British officials in Iraq. [82510]
Des
Browne: There are no publicly advertised financial or
other inducements for the supply of information to UK armed forces or
officials in Iraq. There are, however, two initiatives set up to
encourage Iraqis in MND(SE) to telephone in confidence to
report criminal activities (including acts of insurgency and terrorism).
These do not advertise the likelihood of any financial
reward.
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on progress in the training of the Iraqi (a) navy and (b) air force. [84560]
Des Browne: The Iraqi navy plays an important role in protecting the oil facilities vital to Iraq’s economic well-being. Recognising this, the UK continues to play a lead role in providing training and support. Specifically, the UK provides a Naval Assistance and Training Team at Umm Qasr Naval Base, officer training at Britannia Royal Naval College Dartmouth, and seaborne support to the Iraqi navy and marines during maritime security operations in the northern Arabian Gulf. Royal Navy warships and Royal Fleet Auxiliary support vessels will regularly form part of the coalition Task Force overseeing the security of the oil platforms until the Iraqi navy are ready to fully assume this task. In February 2006, the Iraqi marines took the lead in protecting the Al Basrah Oil Terminal, which itself accounted for the vast majority of Iraqi crude oil exports in 2005.
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 3 July 2006, Official Report, columns 710-11W, on joint personnel administration, what definition he uses of the term formal grievance. [87005]
Mr. Watson [holding answer 20 July 2006]: Where an individual remains dissatisfied with the response provided under the Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency’s internal complaints system they are able to invoke a formal grievance under the RAF Redress To Complaint procedure, section 180 of the Air Force Act 1955/Queens Regulations for the RAF 1000.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the extent to which the Royal Navy has a sufficient presence in the Mediterranean Sea to evacuate British citizens from Lebanon. [88828]
Mr.
Ingram: The success of the Royal Navy’s evacuation
operation of UK nationals and others from Lebanon since the recent
hostilities began has demonstrated that its personnel and vessels were
more than equal to the task.
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether there is a facility in the Army for soldiers to (a) record and (b) anonymously record their concerns about the capability and adequacy of their equipment. [82566]
Mr. Ingram: There are a number of ways available for soldiers to raise issues, faults and suggestions for improvement to equipment, including through the Chain of Command. At present there are no specific methods available to do so anonymously.
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his Answer of 4 July 2006, Official Report, column 913W, on military vehicles, how many of the vehicles are (a) available to be deployed immediately, (b) undergoing repair, (c) undergoing Bowman conversion, (d) in storage and (e) being used for training purposes. [84660]
Mr. Ingram: A breakdown of the armoured vehicle fleet as at 21 April 2006 is shown in the following tables:
| Operationally Deployable | ||||||
| Fleet size | Immediately deployable/currently deployed | In 1( st) or 2( nd) line maintenance | Undergoing Bowman conversion | Storage | Used for training purposes | |
| Equipment | Total operationally deployable | In 4( th) line maintenance | With design authority |
| (1)
Salvaged or impaired tanks, and those on loan - not counted as
operationally
deployable (2) Saxon General War Role (GWR) is currently being withdrawn from Mechanised Infantry Battalions. | |||
Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many OMC/Alvis Mamba/RG-31 mine-protected vehicles were purchased for Army use; on what date they were purchased; what the total purchase price was; (a) by which formations, (b) for what purposes and (c) when the vehicles were used; and if he will make a statement; [80568]
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the reasons are for replacing the Mamba vehicle with the mine-protected vehicle; and what the estimated cost is. [81608]
Mr.
Ingram: The Mamba mine-protected vehicle was based on an
earlier version of the RG-31. In response to an operational requirement
for a vehicle protected against blast and explosively formed projectile
attack from below and small arms, fragmentation and some blast from the
side 14 second-hand Mamba vehicles were bought in three batches through
the Urgent Operational Requirements process between 1996-99. Six were
bought in 1996 for the NATO implementation force mission in Bosnia;
three were procured in 1999 for operations in Macedonia; and a further
five were bought later in 1999 for operations in Kosovo. The approval
cost of the first six was around £1.2 million and the second and
third batches cost £1 million and
£2.3 million respectively. They were used by specialist teams for
explosive ordnance disposal tasks such as reconnaissance, rescue and
recovery and route proving and were deployed in the Balkans until
2003.
Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress his Department has made on developing partnering arrangements with non-BAE suppliers on general munitions. [86657]
Mr. Ingram: Partnering agreements are already in place with three key non-BAES (Land Systems Munitions) suppliers: PW Defence (part of the Chemring Group), Rheinmetall Waffe Munition GmbH and Wallop Defence Systems. Subject to satisfactory completion of negotiations, we hope to agree partnering arrangements with Chemring Counter Measures and Nobel Enterprises over the next two years.
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) when he will reply to question 16696 on fatalities in Iraq, tabled by the hon. Member for Thurrock on 7 October 2005; and what the reason is for the delay in replying; [86520]
Mr. Ingram [holding answers 10 October 2005 and 19 July 2006]: I regret the delay in providing an answer to my hon. Friend’s question of 7 October 2005. This was due to an administrative error, which new procedures for recording and tracking parliamentary questions will prevent in the future.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the capacity of the Army to undertake its peacekeeping roles effectively. [88806]
Mr. Ingram: While we recognise that the Army is busy I am confident that it is able to meet all its current peacekeeping commitments.
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent steps his Department has taken to counter the threat posed by piracy in international waters. [87705]
Mr. Ingram: United Kingdom Government policy for counter-piracy primarily rests with the Transport Security and Contingencies Directorate of the Department for Transport and also the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. They have a coordinated counter-piracy strategy and action plan designed to protect seafarers and ships from piracy attack. This work has been presented to the International Maritime Organization and other international organisations and States to encourage a more coordinated effort to combat the problem.
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to establish (a) operating standards and (b) licensing controls for the regulation of private military companies. [88108]
Dr. Howells: I have been asked to reply.
Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress his Department has made on project MASS (Munitions Acquisition the Supply Solution). [86656]
Mr. Ingram: Project MASS is currently in its Assessment Phase which seeks to identify the best options to provide us with the operational capability our armed forces need combined with the best long term value for money.
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel have been sacked from the armed forces on the grounds of their sexuality since the first year for which figures are available; how many have been compensated; what the (a) highest and (b) average amount of compensation is; how many whose cases have not yet been determined remain to be compensated; how many have had compensation refused; how many were denied compensation on a Limitation Act 1980 based defence; and if he will make a statement. [87790]
Mr. Watson [holding answer 24 July 2006]: The Ministry of Defence does not hold centralised records of those personnel who left or were dismissed on grounds of their sexual orientation. However, 38 personnel have received compensation. The highest compensation award was £147,875, with the average award being £35,598. 62 claims remain to be settled. 57 had compensation refused. The Ministry of Defence has not relied upon the Limitation Act 1980 in defence of any of these claims.
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the spare parts availability shortfall rate is for (a) Typhoon and (b) Hercules C-130 aircraft. [87036]
Mr. Ingram: For the Typhoon aircraft I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 14 June 2006, Official Report, column 1236W, to the hon. Member for Aldershot (Mr. Howarth).
Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress his Department has made on the development of a programme level partnering agreement with a single industrial entity for the full life cycle of the submarine flotilla; and if he will make a statement. [86664]
Mr.
Ingram: We remain convinced of the need for consolidation
in the submarine industrial base and detailed discussions with industry
on the scope of a
possible programme level partnering agreement are continuing. Improved
supply chain management must also take place to safeguard capability
and to incentivise better performance; working level negotiations
continue with the key elements of industry on this basis. Given the
number of industrial players in the submarine domain, consolidation to
one entity may not be possible; other solutions such as an alliance or
a joint venture are also being examined. MOD is considering a number of
possible options with industry; none of these have yet resulted in an
acceptable way ahead, but negotiation is under
way.
Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what progress his Department has made in arriving at a common understanding of the core load required to sustain high-end design, systems engineering and combat systems integration skills; and if he will make a statement; [86660]
Mr. Ingram: We are making progress on assessing the Core Work Load required to sustain the maritime Key Industrial Capabilities, though we have not achieved the target of completing this within six months of publication of the Defence Industrial Strategy. This work is complex and it is important to ensure the links and coherency between the surface ship, submarine and support programmes are right. Industry has been, and will continue to be, involved. As the sustainability strategy for key maritime equipment industrial capabilities is intimately linked to this work, this has also been delayed. We will ensure that this work is completed efficiently and effectively and as quickly as possible.
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) average, (b) shortest and (c) longest tour interval was for the (i) RAF Field Regiment, (ii) RAF Rapier, (iii) RAF Biological Detection and (iv) Royal Auxiliary Air Force Regiment squadrons. [87021]
Mr. Ingram: All Royal Air Force personnel are liable to be deployed overseas to support operations. The following table gives the details of tour intervals between operational deployments of formed units during the three year period from July 2003 to June 2006.
| Months | |||
| Average tour interval | Short tour interval | Longest tour interval | |
Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many UK personnel are attached to the US Missile Defence Agency; [86666]
(2) how many US personnel are attached to the UK Missile Defence Centre. [86667]
Des Browne: The US and UK have been exchanging personnel under the terms of the Strategic Defence Initiative Memoranda of Understanding since the 1980’s. Four US personnel are currently seconded to the UK, two in the Missile Defence Centre, and two in Missile Defence Centre sponsored posts in the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory. Four Ministry of Defence personnel are currently seconded to the US Missile Defence Agency.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what advertising campaigns the Department has run between 2000 and June 2004; and what the (a) date and (b) cost was of each. [87069]
Ms Harman: The Department for Constitutional Affairs was created on 12 June 2003. My Department has conducted two advertising campaigns from then to 30 June 2004:
a regional poster campaign on buses to promote recruitment to the lay magistracy
a week-long campaign of radio and press adverts to target court fine defaulters (under the title Operation Payback).
| Project | (a) Date | (b) Cost (£) |
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many successful appeals against decisions to grant (a) disability living allowance and (b) attendance allowance as a result of (i) mistakes in interpreting medical evidence and (ii) unusable medical assessment forms there were in the last period for which figures are available. [87248]
Bridget Prentice: The information you have asked for is not available in the format requested as data is recorded by outcome rather than the grounds for the tribunal’s decision.
| AA and DLA appeals, April 2005 to March 2006: Total received, cleared and cleared in favour of appellant | |||
| Benefit | Received | Cleared at hearing | Cleared in favour |
| Notes: 1. All figures are subject to change as more up to date data becomes available 2. Figures are rounded to the nearest five and may not sum due to founding 3. ‘Cleared in favour’ is an abbreviation of ‘Cleared in favour of the appellant’ Source: 100 per cent. download from the Generic Appeals Processing System (17-07-2006) | |||
Simon Hughes: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what percentage of defendants attending the Community Justice Centre in North Liverpool since May 2005 have (a) re-offended and (b) complied with their sentence. [88501]
Ms Harman: At this stage it is too early to give statistics on re-offending and compliance with sentences. The standard measure for re-offending rates is measured over two years from the date of sentence.
Simon Hughes: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what assessment she has made of the reasons why the percentage of convictions in Crown courts which were successfully appealed against between 2000 and 2005 has increased. [88497]
Ms Harman: My Department has not made any assessment of this.
Tim Loughton: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs (1) how many people were sentenced to a term in prison by the family courts in each of the last five years, broken down by sex; [88035]
Ms Harman: Information on how many people have been sentenced to a term in prison by the family courts in each of the last five years is not recorded.
| Financial year | Bail | Custody | Medical reports | Total |
Mr. Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what assessment she has made of the reasons for the differing levels of compliance with the 20-day deadline under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 by central Government Departments during the last three months of 2005. [88292]
Ms Harman: Divergence is due to the number of information requests that Departments receive particularly where they relate to complex policy issues. Departments are allowed to extend the deadline to consider the public interest and it is appropriate that they take the time necessary to reach the correct decision. That is to protect information that is legitimately exempt and to ensure the release of information where the balance of the public interest lies in its disclosure.
Mr. Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs pursuant to the answer of 11 July 2006, Official Report, column 1732W, on Freedom of Information, how many complaints (a) are outstanding and (b) have been outstanding for more than (i) three months, (ii) six months and (iii) over six months. [88293]
Ms Harman: The information requested has been provided by the Information Commissioner.
(a) On 30 June 2006 1,204 FOI complaints were outstanding.
(b) The Information Commissioner’s Office measures processing times in terms of calendar dates rather than months.
(i) Of the 1,204 complaints outstanding on 30 June 2006 946 had been outstanding for more than 90 days.
(ii) Of the 1,204 complaints outstanding on 30 June 2006 688 had been outstanding for more than 180 days.
(iii) The answer to (iii) is the same as the answer to (ii).
Mr. Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what steps she is taking to improve compliance with the 20-day response deadline under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. [88295]
Ms
Harman: The Department for Constitutional Affairs has
established a regime to monitor central
government performance under the legislation. Throughout the first year
of implementation of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, my Department
refined this monitoring regime to ensure that a robust system was in
place to collect data.
Mr. Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the average cost has been of answering (a) a Freedom of Information request and (b) a request under the Environmental Information Regulations. [88296]
Ms Harman: Over 100,000 public authorities are subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOI) and the Environmental Information Regulations (EIR). We do not have the average cost of answering FOI or EIR requests across all these authorities.
Simon Hughes: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs (1) how many solicitors in the London borough of Southwark provide publicly-funded immigration work; and how many provided such work in (a) 1996, (b) 2001, (c) 2004 and (d) 2005; [88954]
Vera Baird: The number of solicitors providing publicly-funded immigration work in Southwark for each year was as follows:
Total number of immigration service providers in Southwark including not-for-profit organisations | ||
| Table 1 | |||
| Bidzone | 2001 | 2006 | Change |
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many applications there have been for legal aid in housing cases in each London borough in each of the last five years. [87244]
Vera Baird: The number of cases started by providing advice and assistance in the housing category of law is provided in table 1.
| Table 1: Legal Help matters started in housing cases | |||||
| Number of matters started | |||||
| Greater London Borough | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 |
| Table 2: Applications for civil representation in housing matters | |||||
| Number of matters started | |||||
| Greater London Borough | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 |
Simon Hughes: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what her Department’s expenditure was on legal aid for asylum and immigration cases in each year since 1997; and what the (a) budget allocation and (b) expenditure was on administration for such cases in 2005-06. [88712]
Vera Baird: The departmental cash expenditure on legal aid in immigration and asylum cases in England and Wales for each year since 1996-97 was as follows;
| £ million | |
| (1)
The cost of civil representation has been estimated for these
years. | |
Simon Hughes: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the total cost was of legal aid provision for under 18-year-olds who have sought to challenge antisocial behaviour orders in each year since their introduction. [88713]
Vera Baird: The information requested is not available.
Mr. Chope: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will make it her policy to ensure that overspending in the Legal Aid budget is not financed by reductions in the budget for HM Courts Services. [87482]
Ms Harman: The Department must manage its total spending on legal aid, courts and other services within the limits set by the Treasury. The proposals in the report of Lord Carter, published on 13 July, set a basis for ensuring that in future the cost of the legal aid scheme within the spending of the Department as a whole is better managed and controlled.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many times her ministerial office has been decorated in each of the last five years. [87655]
Ms Harman: Since becoming the Minister of State for the Department for Constitutional Affairs in May 2005, my ministerial office has not been decorated. It was an existing office space that I inherited from the previous responsible Minister and was not decorated prior to my arrival. The office was not decorated during the tenure of the previous incumbent which dates back to 2003. To produce any costs for the years preceding this would incur a disproportionate cost as the Department for Constitutional Affairs was only created in June 2003.
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many coroners have been appointed in Northern Ireland in the past two years; and what (a) experience in private practice as a lawyer and (b) other professional experience each of the appointees had. [88905]
Bridget
Prentice: There have been three new coroners appointed in
Northern Ireland in the past two years.
One of the appointees is a High Court Judge who was appointed to the
office of coroner in May 2006 to be the Presiding Judge for the
Coroners Service.
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many people applied to become coroners in Northern Ireland in each of the last two years; and what experience as a private lawyer each had. [88906]
Bridget Prentice: I am informed by the Northern Ireland Judicial Appointments Commission that 31 applications were received for the post of Coroner which was advertised earlier this year. The applicants’ experience in private practice ranged from none to 31 years.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many parliamentary questions tabled to her Department were awaiting a reply on 10 July 2006; which of those had been waiting longer than (a) two and (b) three weeks for a reply; and what the reason for the delay was in each case. [85200]
Vera Baird: 98 parliamentary questions tabled to my Department were awaiting a reply on 10 July 2006. 13 of these were overdue with (a) three awaiting a reply longer than two weeks and (b) six awaiting a reply longer than three weeks. The remaining four were awaiting a reply for less than two weeks.
Keith Vaz: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will make a statement on progress with providing legal advice for rape victims. [84589]
Ms Harman: At present we are piloting the Victims’ Advocate scheme, which offers legal advice to the families of murder and manslaughter victims. Decisions about the future of the Victims’ Advocates scheme will be taken when we have assessed the success of the pilots.
Simon Hughes: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many security passes have been reported (a) lost and (b) stolen by staff in her Department in each year since February 2004. [88553]
Bridget Prentice: In 2004, 395 security passes were reported lost and 22 reported stolen by staff within the Department for Constitutional Affairs. In 2005, 170 were reported lost and 24 stolen. In 2006, to date, 148 have been reported lost, and 6 stolen.
Mr. Spellar: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs pursuant to the answer of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Official Report, column 1830W, on Sir Alistair Graham, for how many days Sir Alistair Graham claimed as a member of the Employment Appeals Tribunal in each year of his membership; and what his total remuneration was in each such year. [85985]
Vera Baird: The number of days Sir Alistair Graham claimed for as a member of the Employment Appeals Tribunal in each year of his membership, and what his total remuneration was in each such year is a matter for his personal disclosure.
Mr. Clegg: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what meetings (a) she and (b) her officials have had with representatives of the United States’ Department of Justice in the last 12 months. [86488]
Ms Harman: I have not met with any representative of the United States' Department of Justice. In January 2006 my officials organised an international conference on the codification of criminal procedures. The Deputy Director of the Office of Policy and Legislation in the Criminal Division of the United States Department of Justice attended the conference during the course of which he spoke on an informal basis with my officials. No other meetings between DCA and US Department of Justice officials have taken place in the last 12 months.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what criteria were used in selecting Crown courts for the pilot victims' advocates scheme; and if she will make a statement. [88682]
Ms
Harman: The following criteria were used in selecting the
courts for the Victims' Advocates pilot: (a) a mix of courts with wide
geographical spread, (b) the pilot should cover courts in both urban
and rural areas, (c) the courts should have large enough numbers of
murder and manslaughter trials for effective evaluation, (d) the level
of local interest and enthusiasm for the scheme and (e) not
overburdening courts with pilot schemes and other initiatives. The
selection of the pilot courts was made in consultation with the
President of the Queen's Bench Division. The President then wrote to
the courts concerned asking them to take part in the
pilot.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many court cases were included in the pilot for the victims' advocates scheme for the bereaved relatives of murder and manslaughter in each of the pilot Crown courts. [88683]
Ms Harman: The pilot scheme applies to cases of murder and manslaughter in the pilot areas charged on or after 24 April 2006. As of mid-July, we are aware of 52 cases eligible for the scheme in the five pilot areas (three for the Birmingham pilot site, five in Cardiff pilot site, 36 in London pilot site, five in Manchester pilot site and three in Winchester pilot site). None of the cases has yet come to trial or resulted in a conviction.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the average time was for dealing with persistent young offenders from arrest to sentence in each of the last five years. [88662]
Ms Harman: The following table shows the average number of days from arrest to sentence for persistent young offenders in England and Wales in each of the last five years. The table also shows the number persistent young offenders in England and Wales in each of the years, as is the convention with the statistic.
| Period | Days | Number of cases |
The figures in the table cover cases heard in both magistrates and Crown courts.
Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what baseline transfers have been made from the Department of Work and Pensions to other central Government departments to reflect changes in funding responsibilities for Access to Work for their disabled employees since October 2006. [86037]
Mrs. McGuire: No baseline transfers have been made from the DWP to other central Government Departments.
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the Access to Work scheme. [88888]
Mrs. McGuire: The most recent independent assessment the Department for Work and Pensions has made of the effectiveness of the Access to Work programme was a study published in September 2002(1). The study involved case studies with participants and employers to assess the difference the programme makes in enabling users to take up and stay in work. The interviews with users and employers were carried out between September and December 2001.
(1) Evaluating the Impact of Access to Work: A Case Study Approach, Patricia Thornton and Anne Corden, Social Policy Research Unit, University of York, Report number WAE 138, September 2002.
Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what measures will be put in place to monitor and prevent the fly-tipping of textured coatings containing asbestos under the draft Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006. [86620]
Mrs. McGuire: The draft Control of Asbestos Regulations set out controls on work with asbestos and do not deal with the illegal disposal of waste materials containing asbestos. Controls on the fly-tipping of waste asbestos is covered under section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 which makes the illegal disposal of waste an offence. Government have worked with the Environment Agency to set up “Flycapture” the national fly-tipping database which records the numbers of fly-tipping incidents dealt with by local authorities and the Environment Agency. The database was set up in April 2004 and records summary data on fly-tips by waste type, for example asbestos. Government are committed to helping the enforcement authorities tackle this problem and has developed a range of proposals as part of its fly-tipping strategy.
Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment his Department has made of the (a) policy and (b) drafting of Article 3 Paragraph 3 of Directive 2003/18/EC on control of asbestos. [86621]
Mrs.
McGuire: This issue is currently with the Health and
Safety Executive (HSE), which is responsible for drawing up draft
Regulations to implement Directive 2003/18/EC. The Regulations will
only be submitted to Ministers once the Health and Safety Commission is
content with them. HSE's
assessment is that the derogation contained in Article 3, paragraph 3 of
Directive 2003/18/EC provided a sufficient basis for implementing clear
measures in domestic regulations and guidance. The key point is that
the derogation will only apply where the results of a risk assessment
clearly show that the proposed lower, single control limit will not be
exceeded. HSE also considered important the provision in Article
3(3)(bis) which directs member states to lay down practical guidelines
on the
derogation.
Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what account he took of Cabinet Office guidelines on the transposition of European legislation in drawing up the draft Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 to implement Directive 2003/18/EC. [86622]
Mrs. McGuire: This issue is currently with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which is responsible for drawing up draft Regulations to implement Directive 2003/18/EC. The Regulations will only be submitted to Ministers once the Health and Safety Commission is content with them. HSE takes full account of the Cabinet Office guidelines on transposing European Regulations.
Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effect of the omission of the words ‘without deterioration of non-degraded’ from Regulation 3(2)ii of the draft Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006, which transposes Article 3 Paragraph 3 of directive 2003/18/EC, on (a) the scope of the directive and (b) worker protection. [86623]
Mrs. McGuire: This issue is currently with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which is responsible for drawing up draft regulations to implement Directive 2003/18/EC. The regulations will only be submitted to Ministers once the Health and Safety Commission is content with them. HSE's assessment is that the omission of the words “without deterioration of non-degraded” materials from the draft Control of Asbestos Regulations provides greater clarity in the way the directive has been transposed and will in fact contribute to overall increased levels of protection beyond that provided for in the directive for those working with materials containing asbestos.
Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he has sought guidance from the European Commission on the UK's proposed wording of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 to implement directive 2003/18/EC. [86624]
Mrs. McGuire: This issue is currently with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which is responsible for drawing up draft regulations to implement directive 2003/18/EC. The regulations will only be submitted to Ministers once the Health and Safety Commission is content with them. HSE has not sought guidance as it considers the directive provides a sufficient basis for putting in place clear measures that fully implemented it. Once the regulations are in place, the way in which we have implemented the directive will be considered by the European Commission.
Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what response his Department has made to the correspondence from the European Commission regarding the draft Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 to transpose directive 2003/18/EC. [86625]
Mrs. McGuire: The UK has received three letters from the European Commission regarding the transposition of directive 2003/18/EC. The first, in April, requested information about the measures the UK had taken to implement the Directive. The UK replied in May, explaining that it had not yet been possible to fully implement the directive, but that it had consulted on proposals. In June, a further letter was received notifying the UK that the Commission considered that it had failed to fulfil its obligations to transpose the directive into national law and inviting observations. On 20 June 2006 the UK received a further letter referring to concerns raised by the Asbestos Removal Contractors Association about the way in the Health and Safety Executive proposes implementing Article 3(3) of directive 2003/18/EC. We will reply to both these letters soon.
Mr. Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many calls were made to the Benefit Fraud Hotline in each year since 1997; and what proportion of such calls led to (a) investigation and (b) conviction of the individuals named. [73252]
Mr. Plaskitt: The National Benefit Fraud Hotline is very cost effective—last year it cost nearly £1 million to run but identified £21.4 million in recoverable overpayments. Between April 1999 and March 2006, 4,233 people have been convicted as a result of calls made to the National Benefit Fraud Hotline.
| Calls answered | Referrals for investigation as a proportion of calls answered (Percentage) | Convictions as a proportion of calls answered (Percentage) | |
| Source: National Benefit Fraud Hotline and Fraud Information by Sector system. | |||
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the impact of fee-paying cash machines on people whose benefits are paid by direct payment. [57017]
Mr. Plaskitt: Direct Payment offers customers more flexibility in how and where they access their money—including making use of the 33,000 free automated teller machines within the LINK network. 96 per cent. of all cash withdrawals from LINK machines are free.
Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what progress has been made on the introduction of new processing systems for (a) income support and (b) jobseeker’s allowance; and if he will make a statement. [86038]
Mr. Jim Murphy: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking what progress has been made on the introduction of the new processing systems for (a) income support and (b) job seekers allowance. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
On the progress of the Benefit Delivery Centre roll out programme, I refer you to my reply to your earlier question, (PQ 76509, published in Hansard on Wednesday 28 June 2006, Col 421-422W).
I can also confirm that as Benefit Delivery Centres are rolled out staff will to continue to use the existing IT systems.
I hope this is helpful.
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether employers have the right to reduce the amount of attachment of earnings maintenance payment made by employees instructed to do so by the Child Support Agency. [87412]
Mr. Plaskitt: Where the employee’s net income falls below the protected rate, the employer has the right to reduce the amount on a deduction from earnings order.
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of families in (a) rural and (b) non-rural areas who have made claims to the Child Support Agency have received at least one payment in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [85923]
Mr. Plaskitt: The information requested is not available.
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) USB (i) flash drives and (ii) memory sticks, (b) compact discs, (c) DVD-ROM discs, (d) laptop computers, (e) external computer hard drives, (f) internal computer hard drives and (g) desktop computers were purchased for use in his Department in each month since March 2005. [88755]
Mrs. McGuire: It has not been possible to provide all the information in the requested format. The information available is presented in the following table.
| Item | Volume | Purchasing period |
| (1)
These similar items are counted
together (2) Purchased by DWP or its IT supplier for use by DWP (3) Information not available April 2006 to date | ||
Sir Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the Minister of State will reply to the letter of 26 April from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire on pension wind-ups. [78040]
James Purnell [holding answer 16 June 2006]: I replied on 30 June, another copy has been sent to the Member's constituency office.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households in (a) England and (b) Wales receive 100 per cent. council tax benefit. [86849]
Mr. Plaskitt: As at May 2004, the most recent available information, there were 3,186,000 households in England and 222,000 households in Wales that received a full rebate through council tax benefit. These figures equate to 80 per cent. of English and 84 per cent. of Welsh households that are in receipt of council tax benefit.
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what (a) minimum and (b) maximum number of pages of the council tax benefit form a person is required to complete to claim the benefit. [87154]
Mr. Plaskitt: Where a person makes a claim for council tax benefit via Jobcentre Plus through the Customer Management System (CMS), or via the pensions service on a pre-populated form alongside pension credit, the minimum requirement is that the person signs the CMS statement or completed form after checking that the information is correct.
Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households in (a) Barnsley and (b) Doncaster receive 100 per cent. council tax benefit. [87585]
Mr. Plaskitt: The information is not available.
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) people, (b) senior citizens and (c) families are (i) entitled to and (ii) receive council tax benefit in each parliamentary constituency. [88311]
Mr. Plaskitt: The information is not available. Council tax benefit information is not available broken down by parliamentary constituency.
Mr. Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many criminal offences his Department has created by Orders in Council in each year since 1997. [88465]
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what help is available through his Department to people seeking to return to work to assist them in writing a curriculum vitae. [80755]
Mrs. McGuire: Personal advisers provide information, advice and guidance to help people identify, apply for and secure employment. As part of this, they are able to provide help to people on a range of required jobsearch skills, including developing and producing a curriculum vitae (CV).
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much was unallocated in his Department’s budget in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [89094]
Mrs. McGuire: The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) was formed in June 2001 from the Department of Social Security (DSS), the Employment Service (ES) and parts of the former Department for Education & Employment (DFEE). Therefore it is not possible to provide information prior to 2001-02.
| £ million | |||
| Unallocated provision at start of year | Expended during year | Provision carried forward at the end of year | |
| (1
)The figures for 2005-06 are subject to final
audit. | |||
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list in date order the (a) (i) Green and (ii) White Papers and (b) written ministerial statements, excluding those on Benefit Fraud Inspectorate reports, which have been produced by his Department since May 1997. [86511]
Mrs. McGuire [holding answer 19 July 2006]: The Department for Work and Pensions was formed in June 2001. “Green” and “White Papers” are not defined terms. 66 papers were published within the Command Papers series since June 2001. A detailed list has been placed in the House of Commons Library.
Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many of his Department’s employees have been (a) dismissed, (b) suspended and (c) subject to disciplinary action for criminal activity in each year since 1997. [88455]
Mrs. McGuire: The information on the number of Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) employees who have been (a) dismissed and (c) subject to disciplinary action for criminal activity for the period July 2003 to March 2006 is shown in the following table. No information is available for the period before July 2003.
| Number of DWP employees who have been dismissed and subject to disciplinary action for criminal activity | ||
| Dismissed | Disciplined | |
Mr.
Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of
State for Work and Pensions how many staff in the Department have taken
early severance in each of the last 12 months; how many of those have
been
re-employed by the Department; and how many of those have been
re-employed in the same, or similar roles on (a) open-ended,
(b) fixed-term and (c) temporary contacts (i) in England
and (ii) at South Cheshire Jobcentre Plus.
[88876]
Mrs. McGuire: Information on the number of staff who have taken early release, early severance and early retirement, in each of the last 12 months for which centrally held information is available is in the following table.
| Number of staff re-employed in England | ||||
| Number of staff taking early release in England | Permanent contracts | Fixed term contracts | Temporary contracts | |
| Notes: Figures relate to the number of individual staff not full time equivalents Figures relate to early retirement and early severance | ||||
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the total departmental expenditure on benefits has been for those who are disabled and unable to work since 1997; and how much of the welfare reform budget has been spent on measures connected with this group. [79985]
Mrs. McGuire [holding answer 26 June 2006]: The Information is not available. In the case of Department for Work and Pensions benefits which are not paid in relation to a disability, claimants are not required to classify themselves as being disabled or non-disabled.
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of (a) staff and (b) new staff employed since April 2005 in (i) his Department and (ii) each of the agencies for which he has responsibility were registered as disabled. [89034]
Mrs. McGuire: The process of registration as a disabled person was removed by the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. DWP staff are, however, asked on a voluntary basis to state whether they are disabled.
| Agency | Percentage all staff | Percentage new staff since April 2005 |
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what checks are in place to ensure that benefits are not paid to escaped prisoners. [79002]
Mr. Plaskitt [holding answer 20 June 2006]: The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) benefits are not payable to convicted prisoners in custody or released on temporary licence. When a claim is made for an income-related benefit, checks are made of the claimant’s recent past history as part of the process to establish entitlement.
Ms Gisela Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the Answer of 28th March 2006, Official Report, column 945W, on replacement pension costs, what estimate he has made of the annual cost over the next 10 years of administering the Financial Assistance Scheme (a) under the existing rules and (b) assuming (i) full and (ii) partial restoration of the pensions of those covered by the Parliamentary Ombudsman's report. [63868]
James Purnell [holding answer 18 April 2006]: The information is as follows:
We cannot provide an estimate for partial restoration as it is unclear what that would involve.
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his latest estimate is of how many people will qualify for support from the Financial Assistance Scheme at (a) the 80 per cent. rate, (b) the 65 per cent. rate and (c) the 50 per cent. rate. [77996]
James Purnell: We estimate that 25,000 people could qualify for support from the Financial Assistance Scheme at the 80 per cent. rate, 9,000 could qualify at the 65 per cent. rate and 6,000 at the 50 per cent. rate.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what guidance the Health and Safety Executive has issued on the acceptable (a) minimum and (b) maximum temperatures (i) within offices and (ii) on public transport; [89045]
Mrs. McGuire: I shall answer both of these questions together.
Mr. Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the costs to local authorities in (a) Scotland and (b) Great Britain for administering (i) housing benefit and (ii) council tax benefit were in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available. [86971]
Mr. Plaskitt: The information is not available in the format requested. The Department does not collect management information relating to the cost to local authorities of administering housing benefit under the existing national scheme. The available information on the administration subsidy paid to local authorities is in the following table.
| Housing Benefit (HB) Council Tax Benefit (CTB) Administration subsidy; Scotland and Great Britain. | |||
| £ million | |||
| HB | CTB | HB/CTB | |
| (1
)From 2003-04, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
distributed 100 per cent. of HB/CTB administration subsidy. Prior to
2003-04 distribution was shared 50 per cent by DWP, and 50 per cent.
between the then Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, the National
Assembly for Wales and the Scottish
Executive. (2 )2004-05 and 2005-06 figures include separate identifiable amounts allocated in recognition of the costs to local authorities of administering HB/CTB claims which include pension credit and tax credits. (3 )From 2006-07 HB/CTB administration subsidy which includes funding for programme protection activities is announced as a single annual figure. | |||
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what internal training courses on tackling identity fraud are provided to departmental staff who have access to members of the public's personal information. [86644]
Mr. Plaskitt: I refer the hon. Member to the Written Answer I gave the hon. Member for Hemel Hempstead (Mike Penning) on 16 February 2006, Official Report, column 2438W.
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many individuals in (a) South East Cambridgeshire constituency, (b) Cambridgeshire and (c) the Eastern region claimed (i) short-term and (ii) long-term incapacity benefit in each of the last five years. [88850]
Mrs. McGuire: The information is in the table.
| Incapacity benefit (IB) and severe disablement allowance (SDA) claimants each November 2001 to 2005, by geographical area and rate | ||||||
| All IB/SDA | IBST(L) | IBST(H) | IBLT | IBCO | SDA | |
| Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Totals may not sum due to rounding. 3. IBST(L) = Incapacity Benefit short-term lower-rate 4. IBST(H) = Incapacity Benefit short-term higher-rate 5. IBLT = Incapacity Benefit long-term 6. IBCO = Incapacity Benefit credits-only Source: DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study | ||||||
Mr. Boris Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of households in the UK had an income of (a) £22,009 or less, (b) £22,010 to £32,744 and (c) £32,745 or more in 2005-06. [83159]
Mr. Jim Murphy: The income information for 2005-06 is not available. Fully processed income data for 2005-06 will not be available until March 2007, following the publication of Households Below Average Income 2005/06.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the (a) start date, (b) original planned completion date, (c) current expected completion date, (d) planned cost and (e) actual cost was of the upgrade from Windows 2000 to EP in his Department; and if he will make a statement. [88587]
Mrs. McGuire: The Department’s project to upgrade to Windows XP started in August 2004. Rollout commenced in June 2005 with an expected completion date of December 2005 at a planned cost of £12.673 million. The project completed in February 2006 with a final cost of £12.276 million.
Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what monitoring he has undertaken of the Job Outcome Target; and if he will make a statement. [87540]
Mr. Jim Murphy: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
Letter from Lesley Strathie, dated 25 July 2006:
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking what monitoring he has undertaken of the Job Outcome Target. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
Following a pilot which ran from January 2005 to March 2006 in seven Jobcentre Plus Districts, the Job Outcome Target was introduced nationally in April 2006. Job Outcomes are measured by matching information on employment starts provided by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) with information held on Jobcentre Plus systems.
As part of the pilot we monitored performance and conducted research into the operation of the target. Two reports have been published and are in the Library ('Evaluation of the Job Outcome Target Pilots: quantitative study: Final Report’ Authors: Frankham et al. Ref No 316 and 'Evaluation of the Job Outcome Target Pilots: Findings from the Qualitative Study’ Authors: Johnson et al. Ref No 302). The national implementation incorporated findings from this research. Further research is underway to examine activity in the pilots one year after implementation and to incorporate best practise on a national basis. We expect findings from this research to be published after February 2007.
I hope this is helpful.
Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the costs were of services from private sector security companies at Jobcentre Plus in each year from 2001-02; and what the estimated costs are in 2006-07. [86566]
Mr. Jim Murphy: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide my hon. Friend with the information requested.
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking what the costs were of services from private sector security companies at Jobcentre Plus in each year from 2001-02; and what the estimated costs are in 2006-07. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
Security services for Jobcentre Plus are included in the services provided by Land Securities Trillium through its facilities management contract with the Department for Work and Pensions and are not charged separately.
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his Department’s planned spending is on the work-based learning for adults programme for (a) 2006-07 and (b) 2007-08; and if he will make a statement. [80158]
Mr. Jim Murphy: Planned spend on Work Based Learning for Adults (WBLA) is £23 million in 2006-07 and £14 million in 2007-08.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which benefits are subject to a means test; and which were so subject in (a) January 1997 and (b) July 1997. [87317]
Mr. Plaskitt: The income-related benefits, income support, income-based jobseeker's allowance, housing benefit and council tax benefit were all introduced prior to 1997 and they remain income-related.
Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) if he will raise the level of carer’s allowance to the amount which would be received by a person working an average week being paid the National Minimum wage; and if he will make a statement; [86350]
(2) what steps he is taking to reduce poverty among carers. [86351]
Mrs. McGuire: Carer’s allowance is an income-maintenance benefit for carers who are not in full-time work and regularly provide substantial care, of at least 35 hours a week, to a severely disabled person receiving attendance allowance or the equivalent rates of the disability living allowance care component. Carers receiving carer’s allowance can have earnings, net of a range of expenses, including the cost of alternative care for either the severely disabled person or a child under 16 years of age while the carer is at work, of up to the national insurance lower earnings limit, currently £84 per week, net of certain expenses. This limit and the weekly rate of carer’s allowance are increased each year to maintain their value. We have no plans to increase carer’s allowance to the level of the national minimum wage.
(1) Defined as income below 60 per cent. of median household income (before housing costs).
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what changes have been made since 5 May 2005 to the requirements for applicants for National Insurance numbers to produce original documents. [82606]
Mr. Plaskitt: Original documents are required in all circumstances. This position has not changed since 5 May 2005.
Mr. Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what checks are carried out on people applying for National Insurance numbers; and if he will make a statement. [72632]
Mr. Plaskitt: Adults who apply for a National Insurance number (NINO) are subject to a comprehensive range of checks throughout the NINO application process.
Only when Jobcentre Plus is satisfied as to the individual’s identity will a NINO be allocated.
Mr. Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what EU regulatory requirements apply to the activities and supervision of institutions for occupational retirement provision. [88910]
James Purnell: The requirements of EU Directive 2003/41/EC on the activities and supervision of institutions for occupational retirement provision, which was adopted by the member states on 3 June 2003, apply to the activities and supervision of institutions for occupational retirement provision.
Mr. Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what representations his Department plans to send to the Committee of European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Supervisors 2006 Conference. [88911]
James
Purnell: The Department for Work and Pensions will be
represented at the Committee of European Insurance and Occupational
Pensions Supervisors 2006 Conference by senior members of staff from
the Pensions Regulator. The Pensions Regulator is a non-departmental
public body responsible for the supervision of work-based pension
schemes within the UK, and usually represents the UK
at the regular meetings of the Committee of European Insurance and
Occupational Pensions Supervisors. The Department works closely with
the Pensions Regulator to ensure that the interests of UK pension
scheme members are appropriately represented at these
meetings.
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make it his policy to issue guidance to encourage the public sector to employ people with mental illnesses, in line with the relevant recommendation by the Work and Pensions Committee in its report on incapacity benefit and Pathways to Work. [82828]
Mrs. McGuire: The Department is host to the Office for Disability Issues, which was launched on 1 December 2005 to take forward the Government’s strategy for improving the life chances of disabled people. One element of this work will be to oversee the effective implementation of the Disability Equality Duty, which requires all public bodies to actively promote equality of disabled people, including people with mental illnesses. The Office for Disability Issues is working in partnership with the Disability Rights Commission to support and encourage government departments to commit to meaningful actions that will improve their policies and services and realise the potential of their diverse workforces.
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many residents in (a) South East Cambridgeshire constituency, (b) Cambridgeshire and (c) the Eastern region receive pension credit. [88817]
| Individual beneficiaries in South East Cambridgeshire constituency, Cambridgeshire county council and the East of England, February 2006 | |
| Individual beneficiaries( 4) | |
| Notes: 1. These figures are early estimates. The preferred data source for figures supplied by DWP is the Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study (WPLS). However, the figures provided are the latest available figures which are taken from the QMS scan at 17 February 2006. These are adjusted using the historical relationship between WPLS and GMS data to give an estimate of the final WPLS figure. 2. The number of individual beneficiaries is rounded to the nearest 10. 3. Parliamentary constituency, Government Office Region and county council are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant postcode directory. 4. The number of individual beneficiaries includes both claimants and their partners. Source: DWP 100 per cent. data from the Generalised Matching Service (QMS) Pension Credit scan taken as at 17 February 2006. | |
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the total amount of assets was in pension funds that started to wind up before 6 April 2005 with insufficient funds to cover their pension entitlements before annuities were purchased; and if he will make a statement. [89091]
James Purnell: This information is not available.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to encourage the implementation of auto-enrolment pension schemes. [88687]
James Purnell: The Government have published research findings which show the effectiveness of automatic enrolment as a technique for improving levels of pension saving.
Mr. Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what percentage of pensioners in the (a) Houghton and Washington East constituency and (b) Sunderland city council area have been lifted out of poverty since 1997. [87366]
James Purnell: Specific information regarding low income for Great Britain is available in "Households Below Average Income (HBAI) 1994/95-2004/05", available in the Library. The main source for HBAI is the Family Resources Survey. "Pensioner Poverty" in the context of this question is taken to be the standard measurement, i.e. people over state pension age living in a household with income below 60 per cent. of the Great Britain median.
Mr. Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what percentage of pensioners in the (a) Houghton and Washington East constituency and (b) Sunderland city council area have received the £200 payment to assist with council tax in 2005-06. [87367]
James Purnell: Information that is available is in the table below. It is not possible to provide the percentage of pensioners in the Houghton and Washington East constituency who have received the £200 payment because the information is not available by parliamentary constituency.
| Payments made | Percentage of people aged 65 or over | ||
| Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 and refer only to the main payment run for the £200 payment to help with Council Tax bills, so they do not include the late payment run figures. The final figures will be available shortly and placed in the Library. 2. Percentage figures have been calculated using mid year population estimates of men and women aged 65 and over, which are not available by Parliamentary Constituency. Source: DWP Information Directorate and Office for National Statistics and General Register Office, Scotland (Mid year population estimates). | |||
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the number of pensioners who will have an income, through the basic state pension and state second pension, before the addition of means tested benefits, that is higher than the basic state pension level and lower than the savings credit lower threshold in (a) 2010, (b) 2020, (c) 2030, (d) 2040 and (e) 2050 under the proposals in the White Paper Security in Retirement, Towards a New Pensions System. [78003]
James
Purnell: The following table gives the information
requested under our reforms, where more
people will be getting state pensions based on their national insurance
records, and there will be a more generous basic state pension due to
the restoration of the earnings link. This provides a solid foundation
for private saving. Incentives are further enhanced by reducing the
growth of the savings
credit.
| Table 1: Pensioners with gross retirement pensions between the level of a full basic state pension and the savings credit threshold under the White Paper reform proposals | |
| Number of pensioners | |
| Notes: 1. The estimates are subject to wide margins of uncertainty because they rely on very long-term projections of state pension accruals by individual pensioners. 2. Gross retirement pension is defined here as basic state pension plus gross additional pension i.e. that which has accrued from both contracted-in rights and contracted-out equivalent rights. 3. The projections assume: continued earnings uprating of the standard guarantee credit; the savings credit maximum is uprated by earnings from 2008 and then by prices from 2015; earnings uprating of the basic state pension from 2012; measures to improve coverage of the basic state pension described in the White Paper. 4. The projections are rounded to the nearest 50,000. Source: DWP microsimulation modelling and DWP administrative data | |
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what guidelines for co-operation between supervisors in regulating cross-border pension activity have been agreed with other EU states on a multilateral basis. [88606]
James Purnell: The guidelines for co-operation between supervisors in regulating cross-border pension activity are contained within the "Protocol relating to the collaboration of the relevant competent authorities of the member states of the European Union in particular in the application of the Directive 2003/41/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 3 June 2003 on the activities and supervision of Institutions for Occupational Retirement Provision operating cross-border". The protocol was adopted by the supervisory authorities of all the EU member states on 22 February 2006. For the UK, the relevant authority is the Pensions Regulator, a non-departmental public body responsible for the supervision of work-based pension schemes within the UK.
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what authorisation and approval is required if a pension scheme wishes to engage in cross-border activity with other EU member states. [88607]
James
Purnell: If a pension scheme wishes to engage in
cross-border activity with other EU states, it must first be authorised
(a general authorisation to accept contributions from European
employers) and then approved (approval with regard to a specific
European employer) by the Pensions Regulator. The specific procedure
which schemes must follow is detailed in sections 287-289 of the
Pensions Act 2004. The
documentation schemes are required to produce in order to be authorised
and approved is contained within the Occupational Pension Schemes
(Cross-border Activities) Regulations 2005 (SI 2005/3381). Further
guidance on making applications for authorisation and approval to
operate cross-border can be obtained via the Pensions Regulator
website:
www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/trustees/crossBorder/index.aspx
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what definition he uses of ‘the long term’ on page 110 of the White Paper ‘Security in Retirement, Towards a New Pensions System’. [77994]
James Purnell: Expenditure projections in the White Paper “Security in retirement: towards a new pensions system” assume that the standard Guarantee Credit is uprated by earnings throughout the period to 2050.
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the savings that will be realised from the reforms to (a) the state second pension and (b) savings credit under the proposals in the White Paper “Security in Retirement: Towards a New Pensions System” in each year from 2008 to 2050. [78002]
James Purnell: The White Paper “Security in Retirement: Towards a New Pensions System” presents a coherent, interlinked and comprehensive package of reforms. As such it can be misleading to consider the impact of an individual measure in isolation. Each component needs to be considered alongside the other reforms introduced.
| Table 1: Cost of state second pension reforms | ||
| £ billion, in 2006-07 price terms | ||
| Total cost of state second pension reforms | Further costs if accelerated flat-rating excluded | |
| Table 2: Cost of pension credit reforms | ||
| £ billion, in 2006-07 price terms | ||
| Total cost of pension credit reforms | Further costs if savings credit reforms excluded | |
| Notes: 1. Estimates of additional expenditure are consistent with the policy detail set out in the White Paper. Costs are net of all income-related benefits (pension credit, housing benefit and council tax benefit). 2. Costs or savings presented are based on long-term projections of United Kingdom benefit spend, consistent with the Budget report 2006. 3. Table 1, “Cost of state second pension reforms”, includes, in the first column, accelerating the flat-rate of accruals, improving coverage, and the abolition of contracting-out for defined contribution pension schemes. Contracting out rebate effects are excluded. Cost of state second pension are net of all income-related benefits (pension credit, housing benefit and council tax benefit). 4. The second column of table 1 includes the additional costs which would be incident if the accelerated flat-rating of accruals were excluded. 5. Table 2, “Cost of pension credit reforms” includes, in the first column, uprating the guarantee credit by earnings from 2008, and uprating the savings credit maximum by earnings from 2008 and then by prices from 2015. It excludes changes to pension credit as a consequence of earnings uprating the basic state pension. 6. The second column in table 2, headed “Further costs if savings credit reforms excluded”, includes costs which would be incident in the absence of the direct reforms to savings credit. 7. Figures exclude the effect of personal accounts. 8. Figures exclude the effects on expenditure on the state second pension and on pension credit arising from increases in the state pension age as set out in the White Paper. | ||
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place in the Library the data which supports the figures given in figure 9 of the White Paper “Security in retirement, towards a new pensions system” for each year between 2020 and 2050. [78005]
James Purnell: The information requested has been placed in the Library.
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what consultations his Department has undertaken with Postwatch East of England on pilot schemes for the migration of Post Office card account holders to banking facilities in the eastern region; and if he will make a statement. [55264]
Mr. Plaskitt: DWP officials have met Postwatch a number of times in the past to discuss the direct payment of benefits and pensions. Government funding for the Post Office card account will continue until March 2010 as always planned. This was provided for in the Post Office card account contract agreed by DWP and Post Office Limited in March 2002. An abridged version of the contract has been placed in the Library. The details of the contract were not discussed with Postwatch.
Mr.
Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for
Work and Pensions what consultations took place with (a) Royal
Mail, (b) Postwatch and (c) the National
Federation of Sub-Postmasters before the Government announced that the
post office card account contract would not be renewed after 2010.
[58866]
Mr. Plaskitt: The post office card account contract is a finite contract, which ends in March 2010. There was never any expectation that it would be renewed.
Mr. Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the Pensions Service is entitled to withdraw payment of (a) pensions and (b) pension credits by means of the post office card account without the consent of the card account holder. [65883]
Mr. Plaskitt: The post office card account is a Post Office Ltd. banking product and is treated in the same way as other bank and building society accounts.
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his latest estimate is of the number and proportion of (a) women pensioners and (b) disabled people living on (a) less than 60 per cent. of contemporary median income and (b) less than 60 per cent. of contemporary mean income in each year since 1997. [78007]
Mr. Jim Murphy: These data are from Households Below Average Income (HBAI). The main source for HBAI is the Family Resources Survey (FRS). The estimates are shown Before and After Housing Costs for the years 1996-97 to 2004-05.
| Table 1: Women pensioners living in households with less than 60 per cent. Contemporary median income—Great Britain | ||||
| Number BHC (Million) | Proportion BHC (Percentage) | Number AHC (Million) | Proportion AHC (Percentage) | |
| Notes: BHC=Before Housing Costs AHC=After Housing Costs Source: Family Resources Survey | ||||
| Table 2: Women pensioners living in households with less than 60 per cent. contemporary mean income—Great Britain | ||||
| Number BHC (Million) | Proportion BHC (Percentage) | Number AHC (Million) | Proportion AHC (Percentage) | |
| Notes: BHC=Before Housing Costs AHC=After Housing Costs Source:
Family Resources
Survey | ||||
| Table 3: Disabled people( 1) living in households with less than 60 per cent. contemporary median income—Great Britain | ||||
| Number BHC (Million) | Proportion BHC (Percentage) | Number AHC (Million) | Proportion AHC (Percentage) | |
| (1)Disabled
people is the total of disabled children, disabled working age and
disabled
pensioners. Notes: BHC=Before Housing Costs AHC=After Housing Costs Source: Family Resources Survey | ||||
| Table 4: Disabled people( 1) living in households with less than 60 per cent. contemporary mean income—Great Britain | ||||
| Number BHC Million) | Proportion BHC (Percentage) | Number AHC (Million) | Proportion AHC (Percentage) | |
| (1)
Disabled people is the total of disabled children, disabled working age
and disabled
pensioners. Notes: BHC=Before Housing Costs AHC=After Housing Costs Source: Family Resources Survey | ||||
Mr. Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when approval was given for the Chief Operating Officer of Remploy to take on additional or external commitments as (a) a member of the Competition Commission’s Reporting Panel, (b) a member of the Foster Review of further education and (c) a company secretary of Hill Executive Action Ltd.; and who has responsibility for approving such commitments. [80392]
Mrs. McGuire: During 2005 approval was given by Remploy for the Chief Operating Officer to be a member of the Competition Commission’s Reporting Panel and a member of the Foster Review of further education. The Chief Operating Officer’s commitments as Company Secretary of Hill Executive do not have any impact on her role as Chief Operating Officer and, as such, do not require approval by Remploy.
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will give a Government grant to help Shrewsbury Senior Citizens Forum run their association. [74332]
James Purnell: Senior citizens’ forums are independent of Government and responsible for financing themselves as such we have no plans to offer a Government grant to Shrewsbury Senior Citizens’ Forum.
Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many women in (a) Barnsley and (b) Doncaster have received the Sure Start maternity grant since 2001. [88383]
Mr. Plaskitt: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the following tables.
| Sure Start Maternity Grants for South East Yorkshire Social Fund District | |
| Number of awards | |
| Sure Start Maternity Grants for area covered by Barnsley and Rotherham Jobcentre Plus District | |
| Number of awards | |
| Sure Start Maternity Grants for area covered by Barnsley and Rotherham Jobcentre Plus District and Sheffield Jobcentre Plus District | |
| Number of awards | |
| Sure Start Maternity Grants for area covered by the interim Doncaster District | |
| Number of awards | |
| Sure Start Maternity Grants for area covered by Doncaster Jobcentre Plus District | |
| Number of awards | |
| Notes: 1. Data are only available by Jobcentre Plus District, and, before Jobcentre Plus Districts were used for the administration of the social fund, by social fund district. 2. Barnsley and Doncaster both used to be part of South East Yorkshire Social Fund District. In May 2003, Barnsley became part of the new Barnsley and Rotherham Jobcentre Plus District and Doncaster became part of the interim Doncaster District. In June 2003, the Doncaster Jobcentre Plus District was formed by removing the Isle of Axholme from the interim Doncaster District. Although Barnsley and Rotherham Jobcentre Plus District and Doncaster Jobcentre Plus District merged on 1 April 2005, they continued as separate districts for Social Fund purposes. 3. In April 2006, Barnsley and Rotherham Jobcentre Plus District was merged with Sheffield Jobcentre Plus District to form Yorkshire and Humberside Social Fund, S. Yorkshire District. The third table allows comparison between data for 2006-07 and earlier years. 4. Different tables thus refer to different areas and so data in one table are not comparable with data in another. 5. Figures are for all awards, irrespective of whether the award was made to the mother or her partner. 6. Some women will have received more than one Sure Start Maternity Grant since 2001-02. 7. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10. Source: DWP Social Fund Policy, Budget and Management Information System | |
Mr. Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what percentage of people in the (a) Houghton and Washington East constituency and (b) Sunderland city council area were unemployed in each year since 1997; and what estimate he has made of change in the total amount paid in benefits due to the change in employment levels over the period. [87370]
Mr. Plaskitt: The information is not available in the format requested. Information on the number of people in receipt of jobseeker’s allowance in the Houghton and Washington East constituency and Sunderland city council area is in the table, together with the proportion of the working-age population for the local authority; no proportion of population is available for constituencies.
| JSA claimants in Houghton and Washington East parliamentary constituency and Sunderland local authority area: June 1997 to June 2006 | |||
| As at June each year | Houghton and Washington East PC | Sunderland LA claimants | Sunderland LA percentage population |
| Notes: 1. Jobseeker’s Allowance figures are un-rounded and percentages rounded to one decimal place. 2. Jobseeker’s Allowance figures are not seasonally adjusted. Source: Count of unemployment-related benefits, Jobcentre Plus computer systems (including clerically held cases). ONS Mid-year population estimates. | |||
| Jobseeker’s allowance expenditure in Great Britain (real terms 2006-07 prices ) | ||
| £ million | ||
| 1996-97 (out-turn) | 2005-06 (estimated outturn) | |
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the number of veterans on incapacity benefit due to (a) mental health conditions and (b) physical conditions. [86996]
Mrs. McGuire: The information is not available. No record is kept on the incapacity benefit system of a claimant's employer or former employer.
John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if the Government will change the benefits rules to allow volunteers on benefits to be paid the cost of lunch. [85432]
Mr. Plaskitt: When considering entitlement to means-tested benefits all income should be taken into account. To not do so would set an inappropriate precedent and represent unequal treatment within the income rules. If an organisation provides a lunch to a volunteer, benefit entitlement is not affected. However, we are aware of and listening to the concerns that have been raised. The Department is looking at this issue as part of a wider examination of the way the benefit system works.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions he has had with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in respect of the warm front scheme; and whether the Department passes information to the warm front team regarding individuals' benefit entitlements. [89048]
James Purnell: The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is committed to working with others to reduce fuel poverty, particularly among vulnerable groups such as pensioners. This includes working with other Government Departments, for example Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and with the Warm Front scheme manager.
Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the timetable is for the roll out of the Way Forward programme in delivery of benefits to cancer patients. [86716]
Mrs. McGuire: The Government believe that good benefit advice should be available to everyone whatever their disability to enable them to make informed decisions about possible entitlement to benefit. The Department goes to great lengths to ensure that people are aware of the benefits that are available and how to claim them. While we have no plans to roll out a programme of benefit delivery specifically for cancer patients, we and the Department of Health are working closely with organisations such as Macmillan Cancer Support to improve the way benefit advice is delivered to all patients.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what new obligations the Welfare Reform Bill will place on local authorities; and whether they will be compensated under the Department for Communities and Local Government's New Burdens principle. [86842]
Mr. Plaskitt: The overall reform strategy for housing benefit continues to focus on streamlining policy rules and working with local authorities to improve local authority administration of housing and council tax benefit. We do not believe that the measures included in the Welfare Reform Bill present any significant additional obligations or burdens on local authorities.
Mr. Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what percentage of people in the (a) Houghton and Washington East constituency and (b) Sunderland City Council area have received the winter allowance for pensioners in each year since it was introduced. [87368]
James Purnell: Information that is available in is the following tables. Information relating to the 1997-99 winters is not available.
| Houghton and Washington East constituency | |
| Number of payments made | |
| Sunderland local authority | ||
| Number of payments made | Percentage of people 60 years or over | |
| Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Population figures are mid year estimates of people aged 60 plus and are not available by Parliamentary Constituency. 3. Figures for 2005-2006 refer only the main payment run so they do not include the late payment run figures. The final figures will be available shortly and placed in the Library. | ||
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners claimed winter fuel allowance in each London borough in the last 12 months. [87502]
James Purnell: The number of people aged 60 or over who received a winter fuel payment in each London borough for winter 2005-06 is provided as follows:
| London GOR | Number of individuals receiving a winter fuel payment in winter 2005-06 |
| Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Local Authorities are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant ONS postcode directory. 3. These figures refer only to the main payment run so they do not include the late payment run figures. Final figures will be available shortly and placed in the Library. Source: Information Directorate, 100 per cent. Sample. | |
Mr. Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost of extending the Winter Fuel Payment Scheme to disabled people under 60 years. [87678]
James Purnell: The estimated annual cost of extending the winter fuel payment to disabled people aged below 60 years who are in receipt of either the middle or higher rate care component or the higher rate mobility component of disability living allowance is £280 million for 2005-06.
Mrs. Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what consultations he has undertaken to address worklessness in Liverpool, Riverside; and if he will make a statement. [86290]
Mr. Jim Murphy [holding answer 18 July 2006]: Tackling the problems created by worklessness is central to meeting our aim of increasing prosperity and reducing poverty and social exclusion. We have recently written to 45 local authorities, including Liverpool, to request expressions of interest (EOI) for our Cities Strategy which will bring public, private and voluntary sectors together into a concerted local programme to improve the way support for jobless people is co-ordinated and delivered. We are now considering all the EOIs and will be announcing successful pathfinder areas shortly.
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what funding her Department is providing to academic institutions to conduct research, broken down by project. [88399]
Angela E. Smith: Details of research projects commissioned by the DCLG are available from our Research Management Database (RMD) at http:// www.rmd.communities.gov.uk. This includes information about the contractors and the cost of each individual project.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the timetable is for the revision of outdoor advertising planning regulations. [83098]
Yvette Cooper: We published the draft Control of Advertisements Regulations for consultation on 24 July.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many incidents of arson there were in each London borough in each of the last five years. [88664]
Angela E. Smith: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 24 July 2006 (UIN 86836).
Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what previous connection Professor Stephen Crow of the Casino Advisory Panel has had with the Department in the past. [84485]
Yvette Cooper: Between 1988 and his retirement in 1994, Stephen Crow was the Chief Planning Inspector of the Planning Inspectorate. Prior to his appointment as Chief Planning Inspector he was a field Inspector determining planning appeals and other casework. Since his retirement he has acted as independent chairperson of Examinations in Public into the following:
Regional Planning Guidance for the South-East (RPG 9)—June 1999
Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin Structure Plan—Jan 2001
Devon Joint Structure Plan—June 2003
Cornwall Structure Plan—July 2003
Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Joint Structure Plan— June 2004
NW Regional Spatial Strategy amendments— November 2004
He also did research work on Completion Notices for DTLR in 2001.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 27 June 2006 , Official Report, column 289W, on civil servants (expenses), how much of the expenditure on temporary overnight accommodation in London by civil servants was incurred on accommodation for civil servants in the Deputy Prime Minister’s private office. [82953]
Angela E. Smith: Information is not collected in the form requested and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what research her Department (a) is conducting and (b) has commissioned into the use of community land trusts. [85875]
Yvette Cooper: The Housing Corporation has funded research on community land trusts:
It funded a research report published in 2003 by the New Economics Foundation and CDS Co-operatives;
It part-funded research by Community Finance Solutions of Salford university published by the Countryside Agency in 2005; and
It also announced on 22 June 2006 that it was providing £120,000 for practical research on pilot community land trusts by Community Finance Solutions.
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many designated conservation areas there are in England. [88080]
Yvette Cooper: This information is not held centrally.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will place in the Library a copy of the Valuation Office Agency’s (a) photography best practice guide and (b) COVO manual mentioned in clause 3.7.11, of Section 2 of the VOA’s Council Tax Manual. [86788]
Dawn Primarolo: I have been asked to reply.
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what contracts her Department and its predecessors have entered into with (a) Infoterra Ltd. and (b) BlueSky International Ltd. since 1997. [88082]
Angela E. Smith: The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) and its predecessors has let the following contracts with Infoterra since 1997:
National Land Use Database Pilots 1 & 2: Creation of Urban and Rural Baseline Datasets;
National Land Use Database: County Demonstrator; and
Generalised Land Use Database: Pilot Phase.
DCLG has not let any contracts with Bluesky International Ltd.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 27 June 2006, Official Report, column 290W, on departmental staff, which Government Department will take over the use of the vacated office space at 26 Whitehall once her civil servants are relocated to Eland House. [82956]
Angela E. Smith: Current plans are for the Department for Communities and Local Government to continue using 26 Whitehall as accommodation until the Department’s occupancy agreement with the Cabinet Office comes to an end in March 2008. At present it is planned that staff moved from Eland Road to free accommodation for DCLG ministers and civil servants from 26 Whitehall will backfill the vacated office space.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what mechanism her Department has initiated for estimating the number of empty dwelling management orders issued by councils and property tribunals. [85712]
Yvette Cooper: Local authorities are required to keep a register of all management orders made by them under the powers in the Housing Act 2004, including any empty dwelling management orders. The information must be made available for public inspection.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will place in the Library a copy of the letter sent by her Department to local authorities on empty dwelling management orders and mentioned in her Department's press statement of 13 July issuing guidance on the procedures to be followed when taking control of a private sector home following the death of the owner. [86779]
Yvette Cooper: Copies of the letter dated 6 July from Baroness Andrews to local authority chief executives have been placed in the Library.
Sir Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what her policy is on empty private sector housing. [83823]
Yvette
Cooper [holding answer 10 July 2006]: There are
over half a million empty private sector homes in England. More than
half of these remain empty for longer than six months and a significant
proportion are
abandoned for years. Empty homes can quickly fall into disrepair and the
longer they remain empty the more likely it is that they will become
derelict and prohibitively expensive to bring back into use. Empty
homes can create significant problems for local authorities, the police
and fire services. They blight the homes of neighbouring residents, are
vulnerable to squatters, vandals, drug-dealers and arsonists, are bad
for the environment and restrict housing opportunities available to
people in areas of high housing
demand.
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what targets the Government have set for fire authorities in relation to fire prevention. [88073]
Angela E. Smith: The Government's Public Service Agreement (PSA) contains two targets for the Fire and Rescue Service (FRS) in England. The first is to reduce the number of accidental fire-related deaths in the home by 20 per cent. averaged over the 11-year period to March 2010 compared with the average recorded in the five-year period to March 1999—with a floor element that no local authority fire brigade will have a fatality rate more than 1.25 times the national average by March 2010. The second target is to reduce by 10 per cent. the number of deliberate fires by 31 March 2010 from the 2001-02 baseline figure.
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 16 May 2006, Official Report, column 924W, on the Fire Service, what estimate the Government have made of the number of armed forces personnel who have been trained to operate fire services appliances and equipment. [88252]
Angela E. Smith: If the Government agree to the provision of emergency cover, the most readily available units are diverted from armed forces tasks and trained to operate fire service appliances and equipment prior to their deployment. There are no armed forces personnel on permanent standby or permanently trained to provide emergency fire cover.
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the merits of no-strike clauses in firefighters’ contracts; and if she will make a statement. [88322]
Angela E. Smith: Contracts of employment are a matter for individual fire and rescue authorities and pay and conditions of uniformed employees in the fire and rescue service are a matter for the National Joint Council for Local Authority Fire and Rescue Services.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what programmes there are to assist first-time buyers in London. [83132]
Yvette Cooper: The HomeBuy scheme has three products available, based on equity sharing, which can help first time buyers to get a first step on the housing ladder. Social HomeBuy enables tenants of participating local authorities and housing associations to buy a share in the property in which they live; Open Market HomeBuy enables purchasers to buy a property on the open market with the help of an equity loan; and New Build HomeBuy, which includes the First Time Buyers’ Initiative, will enable purchasers to buy a share in a newly built property with public subsidy or on public sector land.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance her Department and its predecessors have given the Planning Inspectorate since May 1997 on residential development on gardens. [86783]
Yvette Cooper: Planning Inspectors make judgments in the context of published policy and guidance. Since 1997, this would have included PPG3 and associated guidance carried forward from the previous administration and subsequent revisions to PPG3 and associated guidance since then.
Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many houses have been built in West Lancashire in the last five years. [83646]
Yvette Cooper: The numbers of new build completions reported for West Lancashire since 2001-02 are in the following table.
| New build completions | |
Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what funding is available for temporary to permanent housing initiatives in the 2006 to 2008 National Affordable Housing Programme in West Suffolk. [82717]
Yvette Cooper: At present no funds have been made available in Suffolk for temporary to permanent housing initiatives through the Affordable Housing Programme 2006-08.
Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many houses in West Suffolk have had improvements under the Decent Homes Standard scheme; and what the cost of such improvements has been. [85543]
Yvette Cooper: Both St. Edmundsbury borough council and Forrest Heath district council have transferred all of their housing stock to registered social landlords (RSL’s), in 2002 and 2004 respectively. At the point of transfer Forest Heath (King’s Forrest RSL) reported 30 non-decent homes and St. Edmundsbury (Havering Housing Partnership) reported 2,795.
Mr. Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what restrictions apply to the sale to tenants of housing association homes built as a result of housing association grants. [85675]
Yvette Cooper: The information is as follows.
properties in areas designated as rural by the Secretary of State. These are generally small rural settlements where the population is 3,000 or fewer and where replacing the social housing sold would not be possible.
properties where the landlord has insufficient legal interest ie where the property is a house, a lease with a term less than 21 years and for a flat, a lease with a term less than 50 years;
the landlord is a co-operative housing association;
properties let in connection with employment;
properties designed with special features for letting to people with physical disabilities. To gain exemption the property should be one of a group of properties normally let to people with physical disabilities and a social service or special facility is provided close by wholly or partly to assist the tenants;
properties with special facilities let to tenants who are suffering or have suffered from a mental disorder. As above the property must be one of a group of properties and a social service or special facility must be provided close by wholly or partly to assist the tenants;
properties which are one of a group of properties which it is the practice of the landlord to keep for occupation by persons who have special needs and require intensive housing assistance and such intensive housing assistance is provided either directly or indirectly by the landlord;
properties let to persons of pensionable age. Such properties must be one of a group of properties let to the elderly and have special facilities consisting of or including a resident warden, a non-resident warden with a calling facility and a common room close by;
properties held on Crown tenancies;
properties where the attributable loan debt is equal to or greater that its current market value;
properties that are due to be demolished within 24 months of an RSL serving a final demolition notice, and having followed the prescribed notification process as contained in s182 of the Housing Act 2004.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps the Government have taken to promote the conversion of space above shops into residential use since 1997. [85691]
Yvette Cooper: We have consistently promoted reuse of empty properties including opportunities to convert unoccupied space above shops. We introduced a specific tax incentive for flats above shops conversions in Budget 2001 and have worked with the British Property Federation and other property industry stakeholders to identify barriers that prevent more unoccupied space above shops from being converted.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many vacant homes there are in each London borough; and if she will make a statement. [85954]
Yvette Cooper: The following vacant dwellings were reported by each London borough as at October 2005:
| Borough | Total vacant homes |
| Source: Council Tax Base 1 (CTB1)
returns. | |
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many dwellings there were in Bournemouth in (a) 1997 and (b) the latest year for which figures are available. [86326]
Yvette Cooper: Bournemouth district council have reported the following number of dwellings:
April 1997—73,841
October 2005—80,274
Source:
Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix (HSSA) and Council Tax Base 1 (CTB1) return to DCLG
Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many vacant homes there are in (a) Barnsley and (b) Doncaster. [86383]
Yvette Cooper: Barnsley district council and Doncaster district council have reported the following vacant dwellings as in October 2005:
Barnsley—3,616
Doncaster—5,336
Source:
Council Tax Base 1 (CTB1) return to DCLG
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent discussions (a) she, (b) her Ministers and (c) her officials have had with the Ministry of Defence on local connection for the purpose of entitlement to social housing. [86450]
Yvette Cooper: There have as yet been no discussions between the Secretary of State and her Ministers and the Ministry of Defence on this issue. However, there are ongoing discussions between the two Departments at official level.
Mr. Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many empty homes there were in each local authority in England in each year since 1997. [87262]
Yvette Cooper [holding answer 24 July 2006]: A table showing the number of vacant dwellings as reported by each local authority in England, in each year from 1997 to 2005, has been placed in the Library of the House. The figures presented are for all vacant dwellings, including dwellings that have been empty for less than six months, some for less than one month.
James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many new homes have been built on (a) brownfield and (b) greenfield land in (i) Rochford district council area, (ii) Southend-on-Sea borough council and (iii) Rochford and Southend East constituency in each year since 1997. [84250]
Yvette Cooper: Estimates for Rochford district council and Southend-on-Sea borough council are as follows:
| Rochford district council | |||
| New dwellings | |||
| Number | Percentage on brownfield | Percentage on greenfield | |
| Southend-on-Sea borough council | |||
| New dwellings | |||
| Number | Percentage on brownfield | Percentage on greenfield | |
James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many homes there were in (a) Rochford District Council area, (b) Southend-on-Sea Borough Council and (c) Rochford and Southend East constituency in each year since 1997. [84251]
Yvette Cooper: Since 1997 Rochford district council and Southend-on-Sea borough council have reported the following dwellings:
| Rochford | Southend on Sea | |
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the likely effect of the Housing Act 2004 on the operation of the right to buy; and if she will make a statement. [85692]
Yvette Cooper: The changes made by the Housing Act 2004 to the right to buy scheme were designed to tackle profiteering by tenants and by property developers, and to restore the scheme’s focus on long-term home ownership and the building of stable communities.
Mr. Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how (a) tenants and (b) the public can assess the relative performance of housing associations; and if she will make a statement. [86168]
Yvette Cooper [holding answer 20 July 2006]: There are a number of ways in which tenants and the public can gain information on the performance of RSLs. An annual Housing Corporation Assessment (HCA) is published for each RSL with over 250 homes. This gives an overview of performance and a rating in respect of the RSL’s performance in areas of governance, management, financial viability and where relevant, development. The Corporation also publishes performance indicator data for RSLs with over 250 homes and an Operating Costs Index which allows comparison to be made between the costs of similar organisations. Additionally, the Audit Commission which is responsible for the inspection of RSLs publishes a report on the performance of individual RSLs, including the award of a star rating.
RSLs will also have individual arrangements in place for reporting to their own tenants.
Mrs. Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what funding she has made available for regeneration in Liverpool, Riverside since 1997. [86294]
Mr. Woolas: We do not hold the total figures of regeneration spend for the Riverside constituency since 1997. The following table details regeneration funding spent or allocated from which Riverside has benefited. For some budgets, it is not possible to disaggregate to ward and constituency boundaries.
| Type of funding | Period | Area allocated | Amount (£ million) |
Housing Market Renewal Initiative Merseyside (Liverpool allocation only) | |||
| (1)
Forecast. (2) Includes part of Riverside.
(3) Not fully allocated at present. (4)
Estimate. (5) Schemes commissioned.
(6) Schemes currently in
development. | |||
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of funds in each local government pension scheme is invested in socially responsible investment funds. [88892]
Mr. Woolas: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Individual Local Government Pension Scheme fund authorities in England and Wales can provide specific figures for their funds.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment the Government has made of the merits of cancelling the (a) 2007 and (b) 2008 local elections to facilitate local government reorganisation in two-tier areas. [86787]
Mr. Woolas: We have already confirmed that we expect and intend the 2007 and 2008 elections to go ahead. The details of our approach to restructuring will be set out in the forthcoming White Paper which will be published shortly after the summer recess.
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what maximum or highest resolution of aerial photography Ordnance Survey holds for parts of England. [87347]
Angela E. Smith: The highest resolution aerial imagery held by Ordnance Survey is for those urban areas of England mapped at 1:1250 scale and is at 15cm resolution.
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what progress has been made with Ordnance Survey's Digital National Framework; and if she will make a statement. [88084]
Angela E. Smith: The Digital National Framework (DNF) is an industry standard for integrating and sharing business and geographic information from multiple sources. It is supported by Ordnance Survey and a number of other organisations. DNF is directed and overseen by an Expert Group which has over 40 members from the public and private sectors and academia. The Group has produced a “road map” to achieve its aims and is actively working on most elements of this. All progress is reported on the DNF website at www.dnf.org. The majority of recent effort has been directed at creating a framework for unique identifiers.
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) whether Planning Gain Supplement will be levied on developments by (a) local authorities and (b) housing associations; [88392]
(2) whether Planning Gain Supplement will be levied on home extensions; [88394]
John Healey: The Government consulted on their proposals for Planning-gain Supplement (PGS), including on scope, in their consultation paper published alongside the 2005 pre-Budget report. As set out in the paper, the Government propose that home improvements should be excluded from PGS. In Budget 2006, the Government stated that PGS revenues would be separate from the local government funding settlement to serve as an incentive to support growth. Further announcements will be made by the end of the year.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government for what reasons parish and town councils are required to conduct all their deliberations on planning applications in public; and if she will make a statement. [83259]
Yvette Cooper: Unless the matter is confidential, parish and town councils are required to conduct their deliberations on planning applications in public in the interests of transparency and accountability.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent discussions she has had with Kate Barker on further changes to the planning system. [84158]
Yvette Cooper: My right hon. Friend had an introductory meeting with Kate Barker last month to discuss the review of land use planning that Kate Barker is currently conducting on behalf of the Government. I have also met Kate Barker on several occasions over the past eight months to discuss progress on her review.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the 2000 edition of Planning Policy Guidance Note 3 (PPG) applies in Wales; and whether draft PPG3 is intended to apply in Wales. [87023]
Yvette Cooper: The planning system in Wales is the responsibility of the Welsh Assembly, which has its own planning policy framework governed by an overarching document—Planning Policy Wales (PPW), which was first published in March 2002. This is supported by a range of technical advice notes, similar to our guidance and statements.
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many homes have been purchased under the right to buy scheme in (a) rural and (b) non-rural areas in each year since 1997, expressed (i) in absolute terms, (ii) per 1,000 population and (iii) per 1,000 households; and if she will make a statement. [84967]
Yvette Cooper: The numbers of right-to-buy sales in rural and urban local authorities are tabulated as follows. The number of right-to-buy sales is expressed in absolute terms and as the number of sales per 1,000 people and 1,000 households. Data for earlier years could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The number of right-to-buy sales is as reported by local authorities and no adjustment is made for missing data.
| Total | Per 1,000 population | Per 1,000 households | |
| Source:
Quarterly returns (P1B) from local authorities to the Department for
Communities and Local Government, Office for National Statistics
population estimates, DCLG household
estimates. | |||
http://statistics.defra.gov.uk/esg/rural_resd/rural_definition.asp
Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many right-to-buy completions there were in West Lancashire in each year since 1996-97. [83551]
Yvette Cooper: The number of right-to-buy completions in West Lancashire in each year since 1996-97 can be found on the Department for Communities and Local Government’s website at:
http://www.odpm.gov.uk/pub/383/Table648Excel545Kb_idl1156383.xls
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what amendments the Government have made to (a) regulations and (b) legislation relating to local authority search fees since 1997. [70609]
Yvette Cooper: The following amendments have been made to regulations and legislation relating to local authority fees for local land charge services since 1997.
Statutory Instrument 1998 No. 1190 - The Local Land Charges (Amendment) Rules 1998
These rules specified the fees payable for local land charge services with effect from 1 June 1998.
Statutory Instrument 2003 No. 2502 - The Local Land Charges (Amendment) Rules 2003.
These rules specified the fees payable for local land charge services with effect from 3 November 2003.
This Order transfers the Lord Chancellor's power, with the consent of the Treasury, for setting fees for local land charge services in Wales to the National Assembly for Wales.
The Constitutional Reform Act 2005, schedule 4, paragraphs 82 to 85.
This Act amends the Local Land Charges Act 1975. The amendments provide for the transfer to registering authorities in England, of the Lord Chancellor's power, with the consent of the Treasury, for setting fees for local land charge services, other than fees for personal searches, in England.
These amendments were brought into force by the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (Commencement No. 5) Order 2006, (SI 2006 No. 1014) on 3 April 2006. The effect of the commencement order was modified by the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (Supplementary Provisions) Order 2006, (SI 2006 No. 1693). This Order provides that from 3 April 2006 until 31 March 2007 the fees specified by registering authorities in England under section 13A Local Land Charges Act 1975 shall be those that were applicable immediately prior to 3 April 2006.
No amendments have been made to regulations relating to fees for other local authority search services since 1997.
The Office of Fair Trading made a number of recommendations to improve the operation of the property search market which we are working with other government departments to address.
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar, of 16 May 2006, Official Report, column 928W, on security passes, how many security passes were issued by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in each previous year of its existence. [88248]
Angela E. Smith: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister was created on 29 May 2002. The total number of new and replacement permanent building passes issued for staff, contractors and consultants working in the London HQ buildings for each year since then up to the end of March 2005 is as follows:
| Passes | |
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what publicly owned land in Kent has to be released to facilitate the implementation of the Thames Gateway project; and what the timetable is for that release. [83698]
Yvette Cooper: A number of publicly owned assets are being released for development throughout the Kent part of the Thames Gateway. Government have contributed to the acquisition and reclamation costs for some of these sites from the Thames Gateway expenditure programme. Other sites are already owned by private sector landownwers and developers. All of these sites will play a crucial role in meeting aspirations for new housing and jobs.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment has been made of the socio economic benefits from the release of (a) publicly owned and (b) Government controlled land in Kent to facilitate the Thames Gateway plans; and if she will make a statement. [85298]
Yvette
Cooper: The economic and social benefits from the release
of public owned land for development will be set out in each individual
development brief, area masterplan, sustainability assessment, design
code and other local strategies that are part of the planning process
and subject to a public consultation process. These economic and social
benefits will be considered prior to disposal of these assets, as part
of planning
applications and as part of subsequent local planning decisions. In
addition, individual organisations also approve their public investment
through their relevant appraisal processes, which need to meet HMT
‘Green Book’ appraisal standards.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer from the then Minister for the Environment to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 4 May 2006, Official Report, columns 1732-3W, on water conservation resources, when a copy of the sustainability impacts study of additional house building scenarios in England will be placed in the Library. [85446]
Ms Harman: The Department does not hold the information referred to centrally. It is contained on individual case files. Those files pre-dating 2000 are likely to have been destroyed in accordance with the Department’s policy. The costs of locating and retrieving files would be disproportionate.
Mr. Swire: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister which (a) officials and (b) representatives of Anschutz Entertainment Group and (c) other parties with an interest in the millennium dome site were present at meetings during his trip to the US in July 2005. [84704]
The Deputy Prime Minister [holding answer 12 July 2006]: I refer the hon. Member to my letter of 4 July 2006, a copy of which is appended to the Memorandum from the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards to the Standards and Privileges Committee published on 21 July 2006.
Mr. Wallace: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether he has received official hospitality from Cantxx Ventures Ltd. and Cantxx UK and its associated companies in the last four years. [85271]
The Deputy Prime Minister: Hospitality received by Ministers is declared in the Register of Members’ Interests as is appropriate.
Mr. Swire: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the gifts he has received whilst abroad on Government business. [86030]
The Deputy Prime Minister: The Government publish an annual list of gifts received by Ministers valued at more than £140. Information relating to 2005-06 was published on 24 July 2006.
Chris Huhne: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether his Office (a) is committed to the achievement of environmental management to ISO14001 standard and (b) has been externally certified as in compliance with that standard; and if he will make a statement. [81582]
The Deputy Prime Minister: Environmental Management Systems in my office are operated to the ISO 14001 standard.
Mr. Swire: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what role and responsibilities he has in relation to (a) the millennium dome and (b) the surrounding land. [85771]
The Deputy Prime Minister: None.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much was spent on (a) domestic flights and (b) rail fares for his travel in an official capacity in 2005-06. [85558]
The Deputy Prime Minister: All ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the ‘Ministerial Code’ and ‘Travel by Ministers’, copies of which are available in the Library of the House. Since 1999, the Government have published on an annual basis a list of all overseas visits by Cabinet Ministers costing in excess of £500. Information relating to 2005-06 was published on 24 July 2006.
Mr. Swire: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the hospitality he has received while abroad since 1997. [88221]
The Deputy Prime Minister: Hospitality received by Ministers is declared in the Register of Members’ interests as is appropriate.
Mr. Swire: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the itinerary was for his visit to the United States in July 2005; and what the cost of (a) his and (b) his accompanying officials travel was for each part thereof. [84917]
The
Deputy Prime Minister [holding answer 13 July
2006]: For details of my itinerary, I refer the hon. Member to the
letter I wrote on 4 July 2006, a copy of which is appended to the
Memorandum from the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards to the
Standards and Privileges Committee, published on 21 July 2006.
Since 1999, the Government have published an annual list of all visits
overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more
during each financial year and total costs of all ministerial overseas
travel. Information relating to 2005-06 was published on 24 July
2006.
Joan Walley: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his responsibilities are in relation to Government policy on post offices; what recent work he has undertaken in respect of this responsibility; and what meetings he has attended within the past two months relating to post offices. [88625]
The Deputy Prime Minister: Responsibility for policy on post offices rests with the Department for Trade and Industry. I chair the Ministerial Committee on the Post Office Network (MISC33). The terms of reference of the Committee are ‘to consider issues relating to the future of the Post Office network’. I am therefore responsible for ensuring the Government take a coordinated approach to issues relating to the Post Office network. Information relating to the proceedings of Cabinet Committees, including when they meet, is generally not disclosed as to do so could harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Solicitor-General what advertising campaigns the Department has run between 2000 and June 2004; and what the (a) date and (b) cost was of each. [87056]
The Solicitor-General: I am informed that none of my Departments ran advertising campaigns during 2000 and June 2004.
Richard Ottaway: To ask the Solicitor-General if he will make a statement on the 2006 performance assessment of the Crown Prosecution Service, South Sector. [83928]
The Solicitor-General: CPS London South Sector was created in October 2003. The first HMCPSI Overall Performance Assessment report on the Sector covered 2004-05 and the Sector was rated ‘Fair’. This assessment reflected a significant improvement on previous performance. Since then the performance of the Sector has continued to improve against key national targets.
Mr. Clegg: To ask the Solicitor-General how many representations he has received on the US-UK Extradition Treaty in 2006. [88326]
The Solicitor-General: I have received 124 representations specifically on the UK-US Extradition Treaty and numerous other representations on extradition issues more generally.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Solicitor-General how many (a) questionnaires, (b) statistical inquiries and (c) investigations have been carried out wholly or partly at public expense on behalf of or by the Law Officers’ Departments or public bodies for which he is responsible in each year since 1997; and what the (i) nature, (ii) purpose and (iii) cost was in each case. [83172]
The Solicitor-General: I am answering on behalf of the all of the Law Officers Departments, the information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost, except the Treasury Solicitor's Department.
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what resources he has committed to support the health infrastructure reconstruction of Afghanistan over the next three years. [88896]
Hilary Benn: DFID does not contribute to Afghanistan’s Health Sector bilaterally, but through funding of the Afghan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF), which helps fund the Government’s recurrent costs. DFID has channelled £135 million through this since 2002. The ARTF covers much of the Government’s wage bill, including the salaries of doctors and nurses. DFID has recently announced a further three year commitment to the ARTF which will fund the salaries of these key workers. Other donors such as the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the World Bank and the European Community take the lead in the health sector. DFID continues to support efforts to improve health services through multilateral funding.
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he is taking to (a) encourage and facilitate the safe return of and (b) provide support for Afghan health workers who wish to return to Afghanistan. [88897]
Hilary
Benn: DFID does not work bilaterally in the health sector.
DFID does contribute to the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund; one
of the activities financed
through this trust fund is the Afghanistan Expatriate Programme which
enables the return of qualified Afghans to assist in reconstruction and
capacity building.
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions he has had with the Afghan authorities on the provision of mental health services. [88898]
Hilary Benn: DFID officials have had no recent discussions with Afghan authorities on the provision of mental health services. The European Commission, 19 per cent. of whose funding is provided by DFID, supports a basic health package which includes the provision of mental health services.
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he is taking to support the Afghan authorities in the provision of (a) comprehensive maternal and neonatal services, (b) midwifery and nursing training and (c) training for community health workers. [88899]
Hilary Benn: DFID supports the health sector in Afghanistan through the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund rather than bilaterally. The UK also provides 19 per cent. of the European Commission’s €1 billion of development assistance pledged to Afghanistan between 2002-07. A large part of this funding goes towards developing Afghanistan’s health sector, specifically to provide a basic package of health services to all Afghans, including maternal and newborn health; child health and immunisation; and nutrition.
Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to his oral answer of 10 May 2006, Official Report, column 297, on HIV/AIDS, what safeguards are in place to ensure that aid programmes are not used as a tool for sexual exploitation. [89128]
Mr. Thomas: Following the work of a taskforce led by UNICEF in 2002, a UN code of conduct for protection from sexual abuse was drawn up. This code now forms part of the terms and conditions of employment within the UN and all UN staff members are therefore bound by it. Local organisations contracted by the UN also have to sign up to this code. DFID has incorporated the same code into its own terms and conditions of employment.
Mr. Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many criminal offences his Department has created by Orders in Council in each year since 1997. [88470]
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will take steps (a) to co-ordinate and (b) to implement an integrated approach across Departments to deal with climate change and poverty reduction in developing countries. [87472]
Hilary Benn: Informal working groups communicate regularly on climate change to ensure that all Departments have an opportunity to contribute to policy-making. Ministerial oversight is provided by the Ministerial Committee on Energy and Environment (EE) which is chaired by the Prime Minister.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what support his Department gives to (a) farmers and (b) fishermen in developing countries to understand and achieve standards demanded by western consumer markets. [88616]
Mr. Thomas: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development (DFID), launched DFID’s agriculture policy in December 2005. This makes a commitment to work in partnership with the food industry to ensure that poor farmers in developing countries can access markets. DFID is working with supermarkets, standard setters and exporters to improve opportunities for farmers in developing countries to participate in international supply chains. We are also supporting work in Africa to support small farmer certification to supermarket standards. For example in Kenya, DFID has supported export horticultural development to the tune of £872,000 over the past three years. Much of these funds are spent assisting smallholders to cope with the process and cost of compliance with supermarket standards.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of his Department’s support to improve teachers’ wages in developing countries. [88618]
Mr. Thomas: The 2006 Education for All Global Monitoring Report states that salaries for teachers remain problematic. It reports that in Latin America, teacher salaries fail to attract the best candidates. However, some countries are trying to improve teachers’ status. In China, salaries have been increased and a National Teachers Education Network established.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funding his Department has (a) pledged, (b) committed and (c) spent on support for developing countries to plan for natural disasters. [88620]
Mr. Thomas: Much of DFID’s support for disaster risk reduction and support to developing countries to plan for future disasters is integrated into wider development programmes so it is not possible to identify the exact amount allocated to this work.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what measures his Department will take to ensure that policies outlined in the White Paper will (a) deliver equal employment opportunities for women, (b) uphold equal pay and labour standards for women, (c) advance equal property rights for women and (d) endorse women’s equal access to microfinance. [88619]
Hilary Benn: Gender discrimination is not only unjust but is an impediment to sustainable economic development and achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. The policy paper “Poverty Elimination and the Empowerment of Women” sets out the Government’s commitment to supporting gender equality and to ensuring that women are able to play a full role in economic life. In the White Paper, “Eliminating World Poverty: making governance work for the poor”, published earlier this month, the Government re-affirmed its intention to give priority to work in support of gender equality and women’s rights in its development assistance. DFID is currently in the process of developing more detailed plans on how this commitment will be taken forward across the Department’s operations. These plans should be completed by the end of the year; they will include work looking at the linkages between gender equality and economic growth.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much aid for education his Department has provided under the Fast Track Initiative; and what plans he has to increase the amount. [88615]
Mr. Thomas: The UK is supporting the Fast Track Initiative (FTI) as part of our overall approach to accelerate progress towards quality primary education for all children by 2015. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for International Development, recently announced an additional UK contribution of £100 million to the FTI Catalytic Fund, bringing our total support to £150 million. Our contribution over the next two years will cover nearly a quarter of the funding gap in the FTI.
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which matches (a) he and (b) his departmental colleagues attended at the FIFA World Cup 2006 in Germany in their Ministerial capacity; at what cost to public funds; and with what contribution from third party organisations. [83598]
Hilary Benn: Neither myself, nor my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for International Development attended any FIFA World Cup 2006 matches in Germany in our Ministerial capacity.
Mr. Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) if he will commission an assessment of the impact of Genetic Use Restriction Technologies on (a) free access to genetic resources and (b) the food security and livelihoods of small scale farmers in developing countries; [88421]
Mr. Thomas: DFID takes genetic modification in crops and foods and its potential impacts on poor people, including small-scale farmers, in developing countries very seriously. Our approach is based on the principle that the livelihoods and health of poor people and of their environment is of primary concern. We recognise that GM technology in itself will not solve the problem of world hunger. We consider that biotechnology, including gene technology, if managed responsibly and applied to those crops on which the poor rely, has the potential to make a contribution to development and poverty reduction.
Mr. Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what research projects the Government have (a) undertaken and (b) funded on appropriate scientific data for the field testing of products incorporating Genetic Use Restriction Technologies. [88424]
Mr. Thomas: The Government have not undertaken or funded any research projects specifically on the scientific data for the field testing of products incorporating Genetic Use Restriction Technologies (GURTs).
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which infrastructure projects funded by (a) the EU and (b) the UK have been destroyed by Israeli forces in Gaza in recent months. [87464]
Hilary Benn: Because of military activity, aid agencies currently face difficulty assessing the extent of damage to facilities in the Gaza Strip. However, initial reports from northern Gaza indicate that four schools and one clinic provided for Palestinian refugees through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) have sustained heavy damage. 57 empty food containers leased by UNRWA have also been damaged at a cost of £31,000. The European Community and EU member states collectively provide more than half of UNRWA’s core funding and two of the damaged schools were specifically financed from European Community funds.
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when he last met the Scottish First Minister; and what subjects were discussed. [88748]
Hilary Benn: I last met with the Scottish First Minister on the 23 June in Edinburgh. We discussed the Scottish Parliament’s Co-Operation Agreement with Malawi and the work DFID is undertaking in the health sector. The discussion also covered the capacity building work the Scottish Parliament is doing with the Malawi Parliament.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many times his ministerial office has been decorated in each of the last five years. [87644]
Mr. Thomas: Ministerial offices were redecorated as part of the refurbishment of the building prior to DFID moving in, in 2001. They have not been redecorated since.
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development on how many occasions he has visited each region in an official capacity in the last 12 months. [84005]
Hilary Benn: In the last 12 months I have visited Wales twice and Scotland three times. I have not made any visits to Northern Ireland. I have also made a number of visits to different parts of England.
Dr. Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Temporary International Mechanism in addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza; what representations he has received on the effectiveness of the mechanism from British aid agencies working in the Occupied Territories; and what concerns they have expressed. [88492]
Hilary Benn: The Temporary International Mechanism, designed to help provide for Palestinians' basic needs, is providing vital assistance to the people of the Gaza Strip at this difficult time. Since 11 July, the mechanism has provided fuel for back-up generators at hospitals, health centres, water supply pumps and sanitation facilities. This has enabled equipment to continue operating during power cuts after Gaza's only power station was damaged in an Israeli attack.
Dr. Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) which British (a) aid agencies and (b) other British organisations have made representations to his Department on the suspension of British aid to the Palestinian Authority; and which (i) supported and (ii) opposed the suspension of aid; [88493]
Hilary Benn: DFID is in regular contact with British aid organisations about the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Since Hamas’ victory in the Palestinian Legislative Council elections in January, we have had meetings with representatives of Welfare Association, World Vision, Oxfam, Christian Aid, Interpal, War on Want, Medical Aid for Palestinians and Save the Children.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many parliamentary questions tabled to his Department were awaiting a reply on 10 July 2006; which of those had been waiting longer than (a) two and (b) three weeks for a reply; and what the reason for the delay was in each case. [85208]
Mr. Thomas: No questions tabled to DFID were still awaiting a reply as of 10 July. As of that date, 3,153 parliamentary questions had been tabled to DFID during the current parliamentary Session.
Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many security passes have been reported (a) lost and (b) stolen by staff in his Department in each year since February 2004. [88554]
Mr. Thomas: The number of passes lost and stolen since February 2004 is as follows:
| Lost | Stolen | |
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development on what occasions a statutory instrument sponsored by his Department has been reported by the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments as defective since October 2005. [85190]
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of whether international donors have met pledges to provide aid in Darfur. [88613]
Hilary Benn: The current UN appeal seeks $801 million (mostly for humanitarian assistance) for Darfur to cover the period up to 31 December 2006. So far, $345 million has been pledged by donors, and the bulk of these pledges have been met. A significant element of the £49 million provided by DFID to the Common Humanitarian Fund, covering the whole of Sudan, will be channelled to Darfur.
Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the impact on developing countries in the region of tropical storm Bilis. [88415]
Mr. Thomas: DFID has been monitoring the situation closely, and has been prepared to respond if necessary. There has not been any request for international assistance and needs are being met by the affected countries’ governments and local response arrangements.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department has taken to assist countries affected by the tsunami in the Indian Ocean in December 2005 in preparations to minimise the damage of future tsunamis. [88791]
Mr. Thomas: Following the tsunami in December 2004, DFID set aside £7.5 million of its humanitarian assistance to support disaster risk reduction (DRR) activities in the affected region.
DFID is currently considering:
support to DRR capacity building in Indonesia and Sri Lanka;
support to the UN-International Strategy for Disaster Reduction and UNESCO/Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission co-ordinated Indian Ocean Tsunami Early Warning System (IO-TEWS) programme and
support to efforts by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change to strengthen capacity in climate change adaptation planning in Asia.
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the UK aid expenditure was on (a) acute diarrhoeal illness, (b) acute lower respiratory infections, (c) child health, (d) HIV/AIDS, (e) malaria, (f) poor nutrition, (g) reproductive and maternal health, (h) tuberculosis and (i) vaccine preventable diseases in (i) 2004-05 and (ii) 2005-06; and what such spending is estimated to be for (A) 2006-07 and (B) 2007-08. [88372]
Mr. Thomas: It is not possible, to disaggregate UK aid expenditure by disease category or sub-sectors areas such as child health or reproductive and maternal health. DFID uses a range of different aid instruments to assist developing countries implement their national health plans. UK support ranges from direct budget support to funding delivered through multilateral agencies such as the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will take urgent steps to tackle the situation facing the World Food Programme in Kenya; and if he will make a statement. [88265]
Hilary Benn: We share the World Food Programme's assessment that despite improved rains, food security remains poor among some communities in particular in northern and eastern Kenya—the same areas affected by drought in 2005. In many parts of northern Kenya rains were again below normal and drought conditions persist, resulting in continuing humanitarian needs in these areas. Rates of acute malnutrition remain very high—well above the emergency threshold.
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the oral Answer to the hon. Member for Waveney (Mr. Blizzard) of 24 April 2006, Official Report, column 351, on Arts Council (Jazz Funding), what assessment her Department has made of the impact of the rescheduling of jazz music on Smooth FM on the listenership of that genre; and if she will make a statement. [89097]
Mr. Lammy: Such an assessment does not fall within the remit of my Department.
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to extend the Community Development Fund beyond its initial three year period. [88893]
Mr. Caborn: £60 million was available for the Community Club Development Programme in the three-year period 2003-06. An additional £40 million is available for the period 2006-08.
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much has been allocated in grants from the Community Development Fund; and which sports have received an allocation. [88894]
Mr. Caborn: £60.1 million has been committed to date to the support of 1,018 sports facilities projects through the Community Club Development Programme (CCDP).
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 5 June 2006, Official Report, column 131W, on Departmental Staff, how many staff in her Department have had two or more periods of sick leave of less than five days in two or more of the last three years. [84029]
Mr. Lammy: My department had 89 members of staff who had two or more periods of sick leave of less than five working days in two or more of the last three years.
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what guidance she has issued on digital switchover for landlords and local authorities; and if she will include information on integrated reception systems in future guidance to landlords. [87822]
Mr. Woodward: We wrote to all local authorities, registered social landlords and a number of representative bodies, including those representing private sector landlords and house builders in June 2004 alerting them to Digital Switchover. We wrote again to local authorities in January 2006. An electronic version of both letters is available on www.digitaltelevision.gov.uk, a copy of each has been placed in the Library.
Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much was paid to her Department from the Access to Work Scheme for adjustments for disabled staff in the last year for which figures are available; from what budget she plans to meet the costs of reasonable adjustments for disabled staff following withdrawal of Access to Work funding for central Government departments; and if she will make a statement. [89008]
Mr. Lammy: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport was paid £7,603.90 from the Access to Work scheme in the 05-06 financial year. Following withdrawal of Access to Work funding for central Government departments, the cost of reasonable adjustments for disabled staff will be met centrally by the Department.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many fishing licences were granted in (a) London and (b) each London borough in each year since 1997. [87253]
Mr. Bradshaw: I have been asked to reply.
Rod fishing licences are issued by the Environment Agency.
Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what training is being provided to enable local people to gain access to construction jobs created by the Olympic developments; what steps she has taken to encourage contractors to provide (a) jobs and (b) apprenticeships for local people; and if she will make a statement. [88210]
Mr. Caborn: ConstructionSkills, the Sector Skills Council for the construction industry, has established a special team—Constructing London 2012—to deliver locally available construction skills to build the Olympic and Paralympic infrastructure. It will work with partners to recruit and train local people, ensuring that building the infrastructure provides sustainable skills and job opportunities for people resident in east London through a range of newly targeted initiatives. A detailed Plan is currently being developed.
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps are being taken to redirect sewerage services at the site of the Olympic Park and the Lea Valley area during the Olympic and Paralympic Games. [88510]
Mr. Caborn: DEFRA are currently leading work to consider options for intercepting intermittent sewage discharges into the Thames, including developing a package of measures to protect the Olympic Park when the Olympic and Paralympic Games take place in 2012.
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what action the Government can take against online gambling companies permitted by the whitelist to advertise in the UK who breach the licensing objectives of the Gambling Act 2005; and if she will make a statement; [89130]
Mr. Caborn: Section 331 of the Gambling Act prohibits any gambling operator based outside the European Economic Area or Gibraltar from advertising in the UK unless a specific exemption has been made for that jurisdiction under sub-section 331(4). My Department will begin consulting on the criteria for making an exemption shortly.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many chlorinated public swimming pools there were in each (a) London borough and (b) constituency in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement. [87330]
Mr. Caborn: We do not hold specific information on numbers of chlorinated public swimming pools. However, the numbers of public swimming pools by London borough in each of the last five years is shown in the following table. The ISRM advise that all pools must provide some form of residual disinfection in the pool water to protect bathers against the risk of cross-infection. The UK is not alone in using chlorine for this purpose. It is probably the most effective disinfectant in water and this is the reason it is used throughout the world, not only in swimming pools, but also in drinking water supplies. However, many swimming pools do use supplementary forms of treatment to enhance the disinfection process, such as ozone and UV.
| Of which “x” built in | ||||||
| London borough | Total number of pools | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 |
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many swimming pools there were in each London borough in each year from 1998 to 2004. [87414]
Mr. Caborn: We do not hold the requested information on the number of pools in each London borough from 1998-2003.
| Number of pools by London borough in 2004 | |
| Total | |
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what evaluation procedures are planned in respect of the delivery of the UK School Games by the Youth Sports Trust; and if she will make a statement. [88895]
Mr. Caborn: The selection of an operator to organise the UK School Games for 2006 and for 2007-11, and the subsequent grant of National Lottery money was a matter for the Millennium Commission. In my capacity as Chair of the Commission, I will write to you on this matter and arrange for copies of my reply to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses in due course.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans the Government have for the two empty official residences at Admiralty house; and what the estimated (a) capital and (b) rental value is of each of the two flats. [86897]
Hilary Armstrong: There is currently one flat vacant at Admiralty house. A decision on its allocation will be taken in due course.
Mr. Walker: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many local authorities have complied fully with the obligations contained in the Civil Contingencies Act 2004; and if she will make a statement. [87902]
Edward Miliband: Part 1 of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 establishes a statutory framework for civil protection arrangements at the local level. Responders were given a six-month implementation period to put arrangements in place before the bulk of the duties came fully into force on 14 November 2005. The Act sets out clear roles and responsibilities for local responders (including local authorities) establishing a basis for effective performance assessment.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the total cost was of the Deputy Prime Minister’s (a) private office and (b) Central Policy Group within the Cabinet Office in 2001-02. [83030]
Hilary Armstrong: Support arrangements for Ministers include Private Secretaries, Special Advisers and Parliamentary Branch. The costs of individual Ministers’ private offices are not separately identifiable, on my department’s accounting system, from the overall support costs.
Mr. Weir: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the value was of each IT contract awarded by the Prime Minister’s Office in each of the last five years; and who the contractor was in each case. [88980]
Mr. McFadden: The Prime Minister’s Office is an integral part of the Cabinet Office. The information for the Department cannot be produced in the form requested without incurring disproportionate cost. However, I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Eastleigh (Chris Huhne) on 6 June 2006, Official Report, column 545W.
Mr. Weir: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster which IT contracts awarded by the Prime Minister’s Office in each of the last five years have been abandoned; and what the value was in each case. [88981]
Mr. McFadden: I refer the hon. member to the answer given to my right hon. Friend the Member for Oldham, West and Royton (Mr. Meacher) on 5 October 2005, Official Report, column 2773W, and the pursuant reply on 2 February 2006, Official Report, column 667W.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister paid to the Cabinet Office for the official residence of Deputy Prime Minister in Admiralty House in 2005-06 (a) in total and (b) to cover the cost of (i) rent, (ii) security, (iii) utilities, (iv) facilities management and (v) general maintenance. [85664]
Edward Miliband: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister paid £173,268 to the Cabinet Office in 2005-06 to cover the cost of rent, security, utilities, facilities management and general maintenance for the official residence of the Deputy Prime Minister in Admiralty House.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many full-time equivalent staff provide maintenance to the Deputy Prime Minister’s official residence under the Cabinet Office contract for the maintenance of Admiralty House. [85665]
Edward Miliband: Admiralty House is one of a number of buildings in London covered by the Cabinet Office’s Total Facilities Management contract. Maintenance of all buildings is carried out by a team of 11 engineers, and agency and specialist sub-contractors as required, in accordance with the Output Specification. There are no engineers specifically dedicated to the maintenance of the Deputy Prime Minister’s official residence in Admiralty House.
Mr.
Davey: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of
Lancaster when the Deputy Prime Minister will be
chairing the first meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Post Offices; and
if she will make a statement.
[88330]
Hilary Armstrong: Information relating to the proceedings of Cabinet Committees, including when they meet, is generally not disclosed as to do so could harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion. A list of Cabinet Committees, including the membership and terms of reference of the Ministerial Committee on the Post Office Network (MISC33), is available in the Library for the reference of Members.
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how the £7 million allocated by the Chancellor to the Year of the Volunteer was spent; and what the measurable outcomes of the funding were. [83471]
Edward Miliband [holding answer 10 July 2006]: Grants totalling £7.1 million for the England-wide Year of the Volunteer 2005 were made by the Home Office directly to organisations in the Voluntary and Community Sector, who were responsible for the delivery of the Year. The table shows how much grant was paid to each organisation, and for what purpose. The Year of the Volunteer involved over 3,000 events across the country, 12 themed months promoting different types of volunteering and a very significant media campaign to raise awareness of volunteering overall. An independent Delivery Review, conducted by GFK NOP Social Research and published in April, showed that over a quarter of all adults in England were aware of the year, over 2.2 billion minutes were pledged by the public for volunteering (well exceeding the 1 billion minutes target) and over a third of a million people visited the website. The Year brought together new partners to promote volunteering, including contributions of an additional £2 million worth of free media. The third sector, private sector and Government have built on the success of the year with initiatives such as the continuation of Environmental Volunteering Month in May, and a new Volunteering for All Programme.
| Grants made by the Home Office during the Year of the Volunteer 2005 | ||
| Home Office investment into YV05 | Purpose of Grant | Amount invested by the Home Office (£) |
To increase the capacity of local volunteer centres throughout England | ||
To develop and enhance www.yearofthevolunteer.org and manage project evaluation | ||
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in date order the (a) Green and (b) White Papers produced by his Department since October 2005. [81647]
David Cairns: The Scotland Office published one Command Paper between October 2005 to date: Command No. 6834 Departmental Report, published on 24 May 2006.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the unnumbered command papers produced by his Department in each session since 1976; how (a) hon. Members and (b) members of the public can (i) inspect and (ii) obtain copies; and if he will make a statement. [81650]
David Cairns: The Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999.
Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much was paid to his Department from the Access to Work Scheme for adjustments for disabled staff in the last year for which figures are available; from what budget he plans to meet the costs of reasonable adjustments for disabled staff following withdrawal of Access to Work funding for central Government departments; and if he will make a statement. [89004]
David Cairns: The Scotland Office has received no funding under this scheme.
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many (a) USB (i) flash drives and (ii) memory sticks, (b) compact discs, (c) DVD-ROM discs, (d) laptop computers, (e) external computers hard drives, (f) internal computer hard drives and (g) desktop computers were purchased for use in his Department in each month since March 2005. [88763]
David Cairns: The Scotland Office does not collect this information in the form requested.
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what the value was of each IT contract awarded by his Department in each of the last five years; and who the contractor was in each case; [88976]
David Cairns: I refer the hon. Member to the Answer I gave to the hon. Member for Eastleigh (Chris Huhne) on 4 July 2006, Official Report, column 939W.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many parliamentary questions tabled to his Department were awaiting a reply on 10th July 2006; which of those had been waiting longer than (a) two and (b) three weeks for a reply; and what the reason for the delay was in each case. [85195]
David Cairns: As at 25 July, one outstanding Scotland Office parliamentary question remained to be answered. It is an ‘ordinary’ written reply for 24 July and will be answered at the earliest opportunity.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many (a) questionnaires, (b) statistical inquiries and (c) investigations have been carried out, wholly or partly at public expense on behalf of or by his Department in each year since 1997; and what the (i) nature, (ii) purpose and (iii) cost was of each. [83162]
David Cairns: The Scotland Office was established in July 1999 and has executive responsibility for the conduct of elections to the Scottish Parliament and the handling of legislation under the Scotland Act 1998. To date, this Office has not issued any questionnaires or carried out statistical inquiries or investigations.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on what occasions a statutory instrument sponsored by his Department has been reported by the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments as defective since October 2005. [85177]
David Cairns: Reports from the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments contain full details of the statutory instruments which they have reported.
David Simpson: To ask the Leader of the House if he will bring forward proposals to impose the same financial penalties on any hon. Members from Northern Ireland constituencies who do not take their seats as will be imposed upon members of the Northern Ireland Assembly with effect from 25 November 2006. [88338]
Mr. Straw: There are no plans to impose financial penalties on Members representing Northern Ireland constituencies who do not take their seats. The Northern Ireland Act 2006 provides for the dissolution of the Northern Ireland Assembly and the indefinite postponement of the next Assembly elections if an Executive has not been formed by 25 November 2005. In these circumstances, it would not be appropriate for members of the Northern Ireland Assembly to continue to receive salaries and allowances.
Mr. Harper: To ask the Leader of the House how many parliamentary questions tabled and due for answer were still awaiting a substantive reply at 25 July 2006. [87957]
Anne Main: To ask the Leader of the House if he will take steps to ensure that the drafting of answers to parliamentary questions in Government Departments is undertaken by officials with direct responsibility for the subject matter. [88783]
Mr. Straw: However they are drafted, Ministers are responsible for answers given.
Mr. Dismore: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission pursuant to the answer of 17 July 2006, Official Report, column 8W, on accommodation, why the houses are structurally unsuitable for use as offices. [87140]
Nick Harvey: The houses are unsuitable for use as offices because the floor loading capacity is inadequate, there is limited fire protection with no secondary means of escape and there are no facilities for disabled access. The buildings are also tall and narrow, resulting in limited accommodation on each floor. It is furthermore unlikely that the necessary listed building consent would be given for the extensive physical alterations which would be required for conversion to office use.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what recent research the Commission has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the length of time it takes for mail to reach hon. Members’ and hon. Members’ staffs offices after arriving on the Palace of Westminster estate; and if he will make a statement. [88184]
Nick Harvey: After mail arrives at the Palace of Westminster it is delivered to Members offices’ within the parliamentary estate on the day it arrives. Alternatively it is forwarded by the Royal Mail Special Delivery service to constituency offices to arrive the next working day by 1 pm. The next day service is guaranteed and is tracked and traced throughout its entire journey.
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission how many passholders are non-UK citizens, broken down by nationality. [87303]
Nick Harvey: 280 House of Commons passholders are non-UK citizens, covering over 90 nationalities, including dual and multiple nationalities. 71 of these are UK citizens with other nationalities. Hon. Members are not included, because they are not required to complete a pass application form. A full list of nationalities and the numbers for each nationality has been placed in the Library of the House.
Sarah Teather: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission how much waste generated by the House was recycled in each year since 1997, broken down by category of waste. [87630]
Nick
Harvey: Data on waste began to be collected in April 2002
and no data are available prior to this date.
The annual waste data from April 2002 to March 2006 are given in the
table.
| Annual total waste from 2002-03 to 2005-06 | ||||||||
| 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | |||||
| Total (kg) | Percentage of waste recycled | Total (kg) | Percentage of waste recycled | Total (kg) | Percentage of waste recycled | Total (kg) | Percentage of waste recycled | |
Note: All total figures are in kilograms. 1,000 kilograms = 1 tonne. | ||||||||
David Taylor: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what recent discussions he has had with House authorities on the implementation of Smokefree Regulations in the Palace of Westminster in 2007; and if he will make a statement. [87420]
Nick Harvey: I understand that the Administration Committee has had a preliminary discussion about the application of the principles of the smoking provisions in the Health Bill to the parliamentary estate, and that it will consider the matter further in the autumn in the light of the draft regulations recently published by the Department of Health. The Commission awaits the Administration Committee’s advice.
Mark Williams: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission whether the Refreshment Department plans to (a) hold a Welsh Cheese Week and (b) serve Welsh dishes and products in the cafeterias and Members’ Dining Room at Westminster on St. David’s Day in 2007; and if he will make a statement. [88855]
Nick Harvey: The Refreshment Department does not usually mount food promotions to coincide with all the national saints’ days of the countries making up the UK, but normally celebrates at least one of them each year. Regional food promotions may also be mounted at other times of the year. No decision has yet been taken on such promotions in 2007.